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liiiirr  lif  3tliiiiiir  uiiii  vt-jrljniigf  Itii'. 

1  S  •'»  o  . 


GUIDE    BOOK 


or    T II  u 


ATLANTIC  AND  ST.  LAWRENCE, 


AND 


ST.  LAWRENCE  AND  ATLANTIC 
RAIL     ROADS, 


INCLUDING     A 


FULL  DESCRIPTION  OF  ALL  THE  INTERESTING  FEATURES 


OP     THR 


WHITE    MOUNTAINS, 

BY    S.   B.   BECKETT; 

WITH  ILLUSTR.\T10NS  FROM  0RIGIN.4L  SKETCHES 
BY  C.  E.  BECKETT, 

ENGR.WED    ON    WOOD    BY 
BAKER,    SMITH   &   ANDREW. 


-♦  -^•^  >  - 


PORTLAND: 

SANBORN  &  CARTER,  AND  H.  J.  LIT  TLE  &   CO. 

I  8  5  .3  . 


Entered,  nccordini;  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  yenr  one  thomaniil 
eight  iiundred  and  fifty-three,  by 

S.  li.  Beckett, 

in  tlie  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Main©. 


i/ 


\\Oi\AtiY 


JUl  2-M966 


^^«/JY  OF  '^<^)^^ 
^  0  ?j  7  fi  9  C 


^^f  p 

iji.  Mm 


i 


CONTENTS. 


Atlnnticc  and    St.  Lawrence  Ilall 
Iloiul, 8 

An(lrnt<coggtn  and    Kennebec    Rail 
Itoiul, 3.') 

Androscogffin  Valley,  47,48,  56,  C9,  (j8 
.72,  131, 141 


Androscoggin  Uail  Road, 37 

Aider  Stream, 47  | 

Albany  Itasinii, 61  I 

Alpine  House, fi3, 130  I 

Autumnal  Scenery  of  the  Moun-       i 

tains, 113' 

Acton, IGl 

Bear  Mountain, 29 

Buckfleld  Urnnch  Ilail  Uoad, 39 

Bryant's  Pond, 45 

Bethel, 47 

Bear  Kiver, 51 

Boundary   Line  bctwen  Maine  and 

New  Hampshire, 56 

Berlin  Falls 71, 132 

Bemis  Pond, 116 

Big  Brompton  Falls, 157 

Black  Itivor, 160 

Beloeil  Mountain, 164 

Boucherville  Mountain, 165 

City  of  Portland, 10 

Casro  Bay, 19 

Cape  Elizabeth, 2,') 

Cape  Cottage, 25 

Cumberland, 31 

Cobb's  Bridge, ,% 

Cambridge  Kiver. 51 

Carter  Mountain,! 67, 110 

Crystal  Cascade, 97 

Crystal  Stream, 102 

Crawford  House, 124 

Connecticut  Kiver, 138 

Coaticooke  Village  and  River, 151 

Canada  Line, 151 

Compton  Center, 153 

Charons, 166 

Diamond  Cove, 20 

DanTile  Junction, 35 

Day  Break  on  Mount  Washington, ..91 

Devil's  Den, 123 

Devil's  Slide, 133 

Dixville  Notch, 139 

Durham IGO 

Evergreen  Cemetery, 27 

Empire  Head 38 

Eebo  Lake, 128, 147 


Eastern  Townships, 148 

Facilities  for  Travel  between  Boston, 
Portland  and  the  White  Moun- 
tains  9  10 

First  K    i  Itoad  to  Tortland, 19 

Forts  Prebln  and  Scannnel, 27 

Farm  School, 27 

Falmouth, 81 

First  Visitors  to  the  White  Moun- 
tains,  93 

Fall  of  a  Thousand  Streams, 104 

Full  Scenery  of  the  Mountains,.  . .  ,11.3 

Franconia  Notch  and  Scenery, 128 

Forests  of  Canada, 160 

Falls  of  Montmorenci, 176 

Oilead, 68 

Granny  Starbird's  Ledge, 69 

Glen  House, 81 

Glen  Ellis  Fall, 98 

Guildhall, 134 

Green  .Mountain  Hldge, 141 

Grand  Trunk  Itallway, 143 

Georgeville, 149 

Hotel  Road, 88 

Hermit  Lake, 107 

Ilight  Mountain, 110 

Heights  of  the  principal  Mountains,  112 

Imp  Mountain, 67,  111 

Israel's  lUver, 137 

Island  Pond, 143 

Jackson  Village, 116 

Jefferson, 127 

Kennebec  and  Portland  Rail  Road,.  .3-3 
Kilkenney, 128 

Lake  Sebago, 28 

Lewiston  Falls, 86 

Little  Androscoggin  River, 40 

Locke's  Mills, 47 

Lake  of  the  Clouds 107 

Lower  AmmonoOi?uc  Falls, 126 

Lancaster, 187 

Lake  Willoughby, 147 

Lake  Memphremagog, 148 

Lake  Masgawlppi, 149 

Lcnnoxville, 164 

I^es  Soixante, 168 

Longueil, 166 

Longue  Point, 178 

Lacbine, 178 


VI 


CONTKMS. 


Mount  Clirli>t<H>h<r. ••  •  •_•     ;  •   .fij 

"    Morliih, 64,69.64,74,70,112 

•'    A<l.ini^ 4ti,C4,50.  71,  81,112 

"    Jullernon, 4»i,  64,  W,  71,  (H. 

«       HI,  11- 

•'    Wiiiihii'igion,  ...6i»,  <17,  81,  85,  11*2 

<.     ..,. ...lit!,  lJ7,i;i*2 

«'    CiirtiT t>7,  7H,  110,  U'l 

"     Imp 07.111 

"     MiuliKon, tl 

"     \Vfl)8t<!r, l-'<* 

"     Williml, 1-" 

Mount  Dfscrt  IMond, 2U 

Moo.xt'lu'nil  Ijiikc "^^ 

Muchimii-  KallH, 39 

Mountain  ColiciMini, H'o 

Mount  ("iiiwforJ  11ou«p, 110 

Alount  WiisliinKton  IIoiiso,.. . .124 

Jloofu  River, 131 

Mlinn, 132 

Maidstone  Lake,. . , 13< 

Memphrenvino^  Lake, 148 

Massuwippi  Lake, 149 

MnifOK  River, 160 

Mcriiournc, 168 

Metcalfe 101 

MonUirviUe,, 106 

Montreal, 100 

North  Yarmouth, 34 

New  OlouceHter, 34 

Norway, 41 

North  Paris 42 

Nineteen  Mile  Brook 110 

Notch, 120 

Notch  IIouso, 124 

Northumberland, 134 

North  Stratford, 138 

Nulhegnn  Woodsand  lUver, 140 

Norton  Pond,  161 

Niagara, 180 

Observatory, 10 

Ocean  House, 20 

Oxford, 40 

Ottowa  River, 70 

Old  Man  of  the  MountainH, Ill 

Portland, 10 

Pleasant  Cove, 24 

Trout's  Neck, 20 

Pleasant  Mountain, 28 

Presumpscot  Itiver, 30 

Pownal, 34 

Poland, 88 

Paris  Hill, 40 

Pike's  Hill 41 

Pinnisiwassi  Lake, 42 

Plelsant  River  Bridge, f.4 

Peabrook  Basins, 68 

Peabody  River, 77 

Pinkham  Valley  or  Pass, 116 

Province  Line, 151 

Phering  River, 161 

Plains  of  Abraham, 176 


(jui'beonnd  Rlcliinonit  Rail  Roiid..ir)!» 
tiuel.ec, 174 

Ricliniond  Ixinnd, 26 

Ri.Nal's  lilv.T, .••33 

Route  to  Moiwc  Head  Lake, 30,  <j7 

Ranilolph  Hill, 08,128 

Rich-.iinnd, 168 

liiclii'lieu  River, 106 

Itlver  .St  Lawrence, 1(0 

RideauCauul, "9 

Sebajro  Luke : 28 

.Shaker  Villane, 86 

.Sabbat li-dav  I'ond, So 

iStnge  IntemclionB,.37,  42,  40, 116, 166 

.South  Paris, 40 

Snow's  Kails,.    42 

Swift  Canibridgo  Jllvor 61 

.Songn  Pond, 61 

Shelburne, 66 

.Station  or  Alpine  House 03,  130 

■Sunrise  on  Mount  Washington, 91 

,Snci)  Hlver  Valley, 117 

Silver  Cascade, I'^S 

Stark 133 

Stratford  Peaks, 134, 137 

Stratloril  Hollow, 138 

Spectacle  Pond, 142 

Seymour  Lake, 147 

Shcrbrooko 155 

.St,  Francis  River, 157,158 

'■  Soixante 168 

St.  Charles, 163 

.St.  Rosalie, 168 

St.  Hyacinth, 163 

St.  H'ilaire, 164 

St.  Ann, 173 

St .  I-aw  rence  River, 174 

Saguenay  River, 176 

i  Tip  Top  House, 91 

'  Telegraphic  Station, 130 

Unibagog  liakes, 46 

Upper  Fulls  of  Lower  Ammonoosuc,.126 

Upper  Animonoosuo  Kiver, 132 

Upper  Canada, 177 

Watcrin;^  Places, 25 

AVcstbrook, 27 

West  Bethel, 54 

I  Wild  River, 65 

I  Winter  Scenery  "♦"'he  Mountains, ...114 

I  Willey  House 118 

White  Mountain  Notch, 120 

White  Mountain  House, 126 

West  Milan 138 

Willoughby  Lake, 147 

Watervillo, 16S 

Windsor 158 


11 


Yarmouth, 

'  Yarmouth  .Tunctiou,. 
i  Yainaska  Kiver, 


..81 
..33 
.160 


..174 


..2U 
.113 
|. '10,37 
"i,  128 
■  158 
..1«6 
..179 
...79 

...28 
■  35 
.35 
,166 
..40 
..42 
...61 
...51 
...50 
i,  130 
.01 
117 
k'3 
.133 
,1.37 
.138 
.142 
.147 
.  155 
,158 
.163 
.163 
.163 
1(J3 
.U>4 
.173 
.174 
170 


FHr:i  Aci:. 


The  ohjcct  of  this  work  is  to  fHrni.<li  the  traveler  with  rcliahlo 


of 


iiitnl  veil' 


the 


h 


jfore 


iuformntion 

little  known,  rci^ion  trnvert;((l  by  the  grent  iiitcnmtional  rail  way 

between  I'ortlund  and  Montrcil. 

The  thief  portion  of  this  region  i.s  rieli  In  capabilities  for  sustain- 
ing a  large  population,  and  much  of  it  is  well  settled  and  teeming 
with  the  evidences  of  indu.stry  and  thrift,  but  owing  to  its  ditlieulty 
of  access,  its  inhabitants  have  heretofore  lived,  iu  a  great  measure, 
within  themselves. 

The  road  passes  tiirough  the  very  midst  of  the  White  Mountains, 
following  the  remarkable  depression  sought  out  by  the  wild  and 
winding  Androscoggin  llivcr,  and  in  no  other  iseetion  of  the  moun- 
tains, in  no  part  of  our  country,  is  the  scenery  on  such  a  scale  of 
mblimity,  wildncss  and  beauty,  as  here,  while  being  remote  from  the. 
old  routes  of  travel,  to  tourists  it  pos.se&scs  the  additional  attrac- 
tions of  novelty. 

The  illustrations  were  all  engraved  from  sketches  taken  expressly 
for  this  work,  and  have  never  before  appeared  in  piint;  and  the  de- 
scriptions aio  the  result  of  the  writer's  own  personal  observation  of 
the  scenes  and  objects  depicted. 


II.IAJSTRATIONH. 


Vignette, paqk. 

Portland,  from  Cape  Elizabeth  Hill, 2 

Rail  Road  Bridge,  from  North  Street 13 

Diamond  Cove, 21 

Bryant's  Pond, 43 

Bethel, 49 

Mounts  Moriah,  Adams  and  Jefferson,  from  Gilead, 64 

Wild  River  Bridge, 57 

Mounts  Washington,  Jefferson  and  Adams,  from  Shtlburne 59 

The  Whit«  Mountain  Station  or  Alpine  Ilouse,  Gorham, 61 

The  Imp  and  Carter  Mountains,  from  the  Alpine  Ilouse, Co 

...69 
...71 


Mounts  Madison,  Adams  and  Jefferson,  from  Randolph  Hill,. 
Berlin  Falls, , 


The  White  Mountains,  from  Berlin  Falls, 73 

Mount  Moriah,  from  Lary'B, 76 

Mounts  Jefferson  and  Adams,  from  Thompson's  Mill, 79 

The  Glen  House, 83 

Mount  Washington,  from  the  Peabody  Valley, 89 

The  Cryntal  Cascade, 95 

Glen  Ellis  Fall, 99 

The  Imp  of  the  Mountains, 1  1 

The  Willey  House, 118 

The  White  Mountain  Notch, 121 

The  Stratford  Peaks 135 

Dixville  Notch, 139 

liland  Pond, 145 

City  of  Montraal, 167 


C 
I 

< 


ILLUSTRATED  GUIDE  BOOK 


OF    THE 


ATLANTIC  AND  ST.  LAWRENCE 


RAIL   ROAD. 


In  pleasure  travel,  as  in  many  other  phases  of  tho 
economy  of  so3iety,  our  rail  roails  have  province:!  a 
com[)lete  revolution.  Instead  of  beiuf;^  jammed  as  for- 
merly into  a  contracted  vehicle  capable  of  accommo- 
dating but  a  half  of  the  people  forced,  into  it,  and 
slowly  toiling  up  hill,  and  down  dale,  over  rough 
roads,  with  ja.lod  and  panting  horses  —  sweltering 
with  heat  or  almost  smothered  with  dust,  the  traveler 
on  any  of  the  great  routes,  can  now  jump  into  a  spa- 
cious and  well  ventilated  rail  road  car,  elegant  in 
its  appointments  as  a  parlor,  and  presto  he  is  at  the 
end  of  his  journey  —  almost  with  the  rapidity  of 
thought  he  changes  the  atmosphere  of  the  counting- 
room  for  the  bracing  breezes  and  refreshing  scenes 
of  the  country,  the  din  of  the  city's  thoroughfares  for 
the  tranquil  beauty  of  the  inland  lake,  or  the  secluded 
retreat  of  the  mountains. 


8 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


We  have  somewhere  read  an  oriental  tale  (perhaps 
in  the  Arabian  Nights)  of  a  prince  who,  unwilling  to 
decide  on  which  of  three  suitors  to  confer  a  lovely 
daughter's  hand,  sent  thein  abroad  with  the  promise 
that  he  who  should  return  before  the  expiration  of  a 
year  with  the  most  valuable  present,  should  receive 
the  prize.  As  the  story  ran,  one  of  them  on  his  return, 
threw  at  the.  feet  of  the  prince  an  ordinary  looking 
leather  cushion,  which  he  had  purchased  in  some  far 
away  region.  He  had  paid  a  mine  of  wealth  for  it ; 
it  was  not  to  be  judged  by  its  plain  exterior.  Sit  upon 
that  cushion,  and  only  ivish  to  be  transferred  to  any 
place,  however  remote,  and  instantaneously  the  occu- 
pant was  there.  What  is  the  rail  car  seat  but  the 
magical  cushion  which  those  cunning  old  Arabs,  who, 
it  sometimes  seems  could  really  foretell  future  events, 
fancied  or  predicted.  Place  yourself  upon  it,  and  by 
the  time  you  have  fairly  got  adjusted  to  its  bearnig, 
you  are  at  the  end  of  your  journey. 

We  have  spoken  of  these  facilities  as  applicable  to 
all  the  great  routes  of  pleasure  travel.  Until  nuite 
recently,  all  that  was  wanting  to  make  them  so,  was 
a  road  from  the  border  of  the  ocean  to  those  objects 
of  universal  attraction,  the  White  Mountains  of 
New  Hampshire,  Tiiousands  upon  thousands  of 
people  flock  thither  every  year,  from  all  parts  of  our 
country,  to  enjoy  the  invigorating  atmosphere  and 
sublime  scenery  of  that  primeval  section. 

The  Atlantic  and  St,  Lawi-ence  Rail  Road,  one  of 
the  noblest  works  of   our   countr^^  has  provided  a 
means  to  meet  the  wants  of  these  crowds.    This  road 
commences  at   Portland,  Me.,  and  passing  thr^  ugh 
some  of  the  finest  scenery  of  the  North,  on  its  way 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


9 


to  Montreal,  sets  down  the  mountain  excursionist  at 
Gorham,  N.  H.,  in  the  midst  of  the  loftiest  crags  and 
wildest  steeps  of  those  heaven  piercing  summits,  in 
from  three  to  four  hours,  the  distance  being  about 
ninety  miles. 

This  road  is  built  on  the  broad  or  five  and  a  half 
feet  a:au2:e  and  is  as  substantial  a  work  as  the  whole 
country  can  boast  and  although  penetrating  one  of 
the  most  rugged  districts  in  America,  such  are  the 
facilities  afforded  by  the  streams  which  have  furrowed 
their  way  through  the  mountain  passes,  that  it  has  no 
grades  of  greater  rise  to  the  mile  than  any  other  rail 
road  of  the  same  length  on  the  continent. 

The  broad  gauge,  while  it  is  contended  that  it  is 
less  liable  to  accident  than  the  narrow,  gives  an  easier 
motion  to  the  cars,  and  the  cars  being  broad  in  pro- 
portion, are  much  more  comfortable  than  those  on  the 
more  contracted  gauges. 

Its  Atlantic  terminus,  Portland,  is  connected  with 
Boston  by  two  hnes  of  rail  road,  and  by  two  or 
three  lines  of  steam  packets,  the  principal  of  the 
latter  being  that  of  the  Portland  and  Boston  Steam 
Navigation  Company,  which  runs  a  line  of  new, 
staunch,  and  elegant  boats,  daily  each  way. 

These  flicilities  for  travel  and  business  create  a 
competition  which  keeps  the  fare  between  the  two 
places  very  low,  the  regular  price  for  tickets  by 
steamer  being  only  one  dollar,  and  that  by  rail  road 
two  dollars,  the  distance  by  cither  route  being  not  far 
from  one  hundred  and  five  miles.  Again,  Boston 
being  attainable  from  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Balti- 
more, and  the  great  Atlantic  cities  South,  and  from 
Albany,  Buffalo,  etc.,  on  the  West,  by  splendid  lines 


10 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


H 

i 
I 


h 


of  rail  way  and  other  means  of  rapid  conveyance, 
and  those  great  marts  in  their  turn  being  the  centres 
of  hnes  of  travel  radiating  to  every  quarter  of  the 
Union,  it  may  be  said  that  means  the  most  expeditious 
and  commodious,  of  reaching  the  highest  mountains 
of  our  country  this  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  are 
thus  available  for  travelers  from  all  parts. 

By  this  route,  tourists  can  leave  Boston  in  the 
morning  train  of  cars  j'or  Portland,  and  have  an  hour 
and  a  half  to  take  dinner  and  look  round  in  tliat  city, 
and  taking  the  afternoon  train,  reach  the  While  Moun- 
tain Station  or  Alpine  House,  in  season  to  ascend  to 
the  top  of  Mt.  Washington  the  same  evening;  there 
tliey  will  find  good  accommodations  at  the  "  Tip  Top 
House,"  and  after  spending  a  night  in  that  exalted 
cyry,  separated  as  it  were  from  the  world,  with  the 
stars  and  clouds  for  companions,  can  witness  the  dawn 
of  day,  so  resplendent  and  soul-stirring  Avhen  the  sun 
rises  from  the  distant  ocean  unclouded,  and  then 
descend,  and  be  in  Eostnn  the  same  day  betimes  to 
lake  supjier — all  this  without  very  extraordinary  exer- 
tion, and  with  not  much  more  fatigue  than  generally 
attends  half  a  day's  coach  riding.  With  such  facts 
before  the  world,  who  will  say  but  that  in  the  rail  car 
seat  exists  substantially  the  magical  cushion  of  the 
Arabian  !Nights  Entertainments  I  But  suppose  the 
tourist  arrived  at 


PORTT.AND, 

His  first  object  is  to  find  a  home  suited  to  his  wants 
and  tastes.  This  he  may  do  in  the  United  States 
Hotel,  at  the  Ehi"  House,  and  other  similar  estabhsh- 
ments ;  or  if  he  have  a  mind  to  remain  a  while  in  the 


4 


.:§ 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


11 


city  and  enjoy  its  fine  scenery,  invigorating  sea  air, 
and  its  facilities  for  yacht  soiling,  sea  bathing,  fishing, 
or  its  pleasure  drives,  and  does  not  wish  to  go  to  one 
of  the  hotels,  he  can  find  quarters  at  some  one  of  the 
elegant  private  boarding  houses,  —  or  at  the  romantic 
watering  places  on  Cape  Ehzabcth,  known  as  the 
Ocean  House  and  Cape  Cottage,  the  first  eight,  the 
latter  three  miles  from  the  city. 

Portland,  there  can  be  no  deubt,  is  destined  to  figure 
as  one  of  the  large  cities  of  the  Union.  Within  a  few 
years,  it  has  taken  a  new  start,  as  the  homely  phrase 
is ;  its  business  having  increased  tlu'ee  fold,  and  its 
population  run  up  from  fifteen  or  sixteen  thousand,  to 
about  twenty-five  thousand,  with  a  constantly  accel- 
erating increase. 

The  streets  are  broad  and  have  a  neat  and  cleanly 
appearance  ;  most  of  them  are  lined  with  noble  elm, 
maple  and  other  shade  trees,  comminghng  the  rural 
with  the  business  like,  hence  the  significant  title 
which  has  so  widely  obtained,  as  applied  to  the  place, 
of  Forest  City. 

Among  the  buildings  worthy  of  notice,  are  the  Ex- 
change, (now  Custom  House)  situated  at  the  junction 
of  Middle  and  Exchange  Streets,  built  of  granite  in 
the  Doric  ordei  of  architecture,  the  old  Custom  House, 
at  the  corner  of  Fore  Street  and  Custom  House 
Wharf,  also  of  granite,  with  massive  Ionic  columns, 
the  immense  pile  of  brick  and  granite,  known  as 
Brown's  Sugar  House,  on  York  Street  at  the  foot  of 
Maple  Street,  the  first  Unitarian  Church  on  Congress 
opposite  head  of  Temple  Street,  the  Congregational 
Churches  on  High  and  State  Streets  —  the  Congress 
Street,  Park  Street  and  Chesnut  Street  School 
2* 


12 


PORTLAND,    WHITE   MOUNTAINS    AND 


Houses,  Lancaster  Hall,  on  Market  Square,  &c. 
Many  of  the  stores  and  dwelling  houses  are  likewise 
noticeable  for  the  .richness  and  taste  developed  in 
their  construction. 

The  healthiness  of  the  city  may  be  inferred  from 
the  fact  that  the  average  number  of  deaths  annually 
for  the  last  twenty  years,  has  been  but  1  in  G5,  while 
in  most  of  the  Atlantic  cities,  it  is  1  in  40,  and  in 
some  as  low  as  1  in  30.  This  remarkable  state  of 
health  is  owing  as  well  to  the  general  cleanliness  of 
the  streets  and  elevation  of  the  land  on  which  it  is 
built,  as  to  its  being  washed  on  every  side  l>y  tide 
water. 

Portland  has  its  historic  fame.  In  the  early  occu- 
pancy of  this  section  it  was  often  the  scene  of  desper- 
ate strife  between  the  settlers  and  the  Indians  and 
French,  during  which  the  place  was  twice  destroyed, 
and  on  October  18th,  1775,  it  was  bombarded  by  an 
Enghsh  fleet,  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Mowatt, 
and  almost  entirely  laid  in  ashes. 

On  the  5th  of  September,  1813,  the  sanguinary 
battle  between  the  British  man-of-war  brig  Boxer 
and  the  American  brig  Enterprise,  was  fought  off  the 
harbor,  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of  the  former, 
not  however  without  fearful  carnage,  Capt.  Blythe  of 
the  Boxer,  and  the  American  Captain  Burroughs, 
being  both  killed  during  the  action.  Their  remains 
lie  side  by  side  in  the  cemetery  at  the  eastern  section 
of  the  city,  surmounted  by  substantial  monuments, 
that  of  Blythe  erected  by  his  surviving  officers,  and 
the  other  by  "  a  passing  stranger." 

In  the  same  burial  place  rest  the  remains  of  Com- 
modore Edward  Preble,  who  commanded  the  Ameri- 


1 


t 


ewise 
^Gd  in 


Amy.'....  :^.M:J^r:l'%::h..m 


"V, 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


u 


can  squadron  during?  the  gallant  operations  which 
resulted  in  the  reduction  of  Tripoli  in  1804,  and  whose 
acts  on  other  occasions,  contr  uted  largely  in  elevat- 
ing the  character  of  the  American  Navy.  A  costly 
monument  of  white  marble  marks  the  spot  of  his 
interment. 

The  scenery  of  Portland  and  vicinity  is  remarkable 
for  its  diversified  j)icturesque  attractions.  The  cele- 
brated English  traveller  Latrobe,  seems  to  have  been 
particularly  struck  with  it ;  in  his  published  work  on 
America,  he  says,  "  Imagine  my  sur})rise,  when  I 
found  in  the  unsung  and  neglected  Portland,  scenery 
that  for  beauty  and  variety,  far  surpassed  any  that  I 
had  j)reviously  met  with  in  the  States;"  and  this 
statement  is  in  keei)ing  with  the  testimony  of  scores 
of  other  well  known  writers,  who  have  expressed 
themselves  on  the  subject. 

The  land  on  which  the  city  is  built  rises  gradually 
from  the  water  side,  so  that  the  roofs  show  one  above 
another,  the  largo  dome  of  the  new  Custom  House 
towering  over  all ;  and  the  view  on  entering  the 
harbour  by  the  ship  channel  is  imposing  and  beautiful 
in  the  extreme,  suggesting  the  idea  of  a  city  of  thrice 
its  actual  extent.  From  Cai)e  Elizabeth  and  from 
the  Westbrook  shore  of  Back  Cove,  the  city  also 
shows  to  fine  o fleet. 

The  extensive  views  from  the  summit  of  the  hill, 
on  North  Street,  deserve  the  attention  of  the  traveler, 
as  may  readily  be  inferred  from  the  truthtul  sketch  on 
the  foregoing  page,  of  the  Rail  Road  Bridge,  and 
the  adjacent  shore  and  inlets  of  the  Bay,  taken  from 
that  point.  But  the  most  commanding  view  of  the 
whole  region  round  about,  may  be  obtained  from  the 


t* 


-ORTLAND,    w„,r,   MOUNT.ms    .„„ 


tall  tower  known  ns  thn    ni 

object  imorvenes  ,„  obsiru  f  H  ""^'     ""^  "° 

•nay  wander  ,m  .ve^iTo''';  ""''  "'"' '"«  eye 
»n  -e  but  ,0  admire.  Nortl;  7^'"^  "'"  """^ 
lengthen  .he   ,„„«  ,„,  ™'^';  ^"''"'y.  &••  and  ftee, 

■"■onnd  scores  of    emerl  I  ™  ""y-   """ding 

-'-hare  s.i„   Cad  "I     '  .rC;':,'?""^'  ™-^  "^ 
'~'.  and  senary  as  o'r  Zther""  "  "''"• 
"°,"'^  'ho  Indian',  l,i,„,  ,„„„„ 

While  others  siiow  the  neat  e„H 

,">g3  of  the  fisherman    ^dT.e  f '  '''"''""■'"="  <='««- 

ocean  in  aii  weathers,  lyinri"  f  """^^'^  "^  the 
near  by,  '^'"^  '"  ^ome  secluded  cove 

•he^fe:Ltrerfor:;7;eb?e':nd  !J"  ""^^'  "="•"-• 
command  the  ship  channe      ,he^^'""""^''  (-"-h 
■hree  lighthouses  ind  „,;;'''"!  ff^  tillage,  the 
Cape   Eiizabeth,  with  a  b^r     "    '^'■^^' ^^ency  of 
.'-hose  restless  billow   „^  '7;' '-ch  "'  "'e  ocean. 

'«  foam  along  the  sunken  reef!  „  7^^  '""^  '''-king 
from  the  iron  ramparts  o^  he  c!     Z"'"''  ^"o-"'- 
the  eye  sweeps  over  tl  e  ro  f    '"■  ^""'  ^^'^'e^y. 
green  shade  trees  of  the  citv  nf '  "''""'"''  'P'"''  and 
'nner  harbor  and  .shippi„:'  ^J'^--  ""d  takes  i„  the 
a  port,on  of  the  pretty  viil!  llfT"'  Scarborough, 
-h'nmg  iniet,  the  noWe  b  Jld,"    ^'™"''-»«- and  its 
School,  lifting  their  turret,  1        *^'  "'  ""^  ""w  Farm 
-;^"ated  relie   of  «      fST'  '"^  *^'  '*<^  --" 

^"<'^-  and  .ts   White  tidl^'lXtSTh:^^^'^"-'' 

'     "^  t"e  grove  of 


im 


VD 


tiiated  on  a 
Here  no 
'"(I  the  eye 

f'»at  none 
'•  «ncl  free, 
^    winding 

many  of 
h  as  wiJd, 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


17 


cn  clear- 
staunch 
s  of  the 
ed  cove 

harbor, 
(which 
S^.  the 
nery  of 

ocean, 
eakinsr 
owJiice 
'stcrly, 
s  and 
in  the 

OLlgh, 

^d  its 
P'arm 
some 
ing's 
e  of 


y, 


oaks  beyond,  and  far  away  the  spires  and  white  dwell- 
ing houses  of  Gorham ;  with  the  mountains  in  Bald- 
win and  Hiram  still  more  distant,  and  following  the 
horizon  llicucc  a  little  farther  to  the  South,  may  be 
seen  Mount  Agamcnticus  in  "old  York,"  blue  and 
lone,  a  well  known  land  mark  for  vessels  bound 
towards  the  coast. 

The  North  Westerly  view  includes  the  waters  of 
Back  Cove  with  Tukcy's  Bridge,  the  fine  old  woods, 
grassy  lawns  and  neat  residences  of  some  of  the 
retired  citizens  of  Portland,  on  the  farther  side  of  he 
Cove,  the  shores  of  Falmouth  and  Cumberland,  with 
"  Fore  Side  Village"  and  a  vast  extent  of  hills,  forests 
and  waters,  terminated  by  the  cloud  like  summits  of 
the  White  Mountains,  seventy  miles  distant  on  an 
air  line.  The  detour  thus  takes  in  every  variety  of 
scenery,  and  if  the  spectator  wishes  to  extend  his 
vision,  and  redeem  scenes  and  objects  from  the  purple 
veil  of  the  remote  atmosphere,  he  has  the  facility  for 
so  doing  in  an  excellent  telescope  which  is  mounted 
in  the  glass  dome  of  the  building. 

At  either  extremity  of  the  city  is  a  promenade  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  width,  lined  with  young  and 
thrifty  shade  trees.  These  promenades  are  graded 
into  three  sections,  two  for  walking,  and  the  other  for 
riding,  and  the  succession  of  views  developed  in 
passing  around  them  is  scarcely  less  beautiful  than 
those  from  the  Observatory.  They  are  favorite  re- 
sorts of  the  Portlanders ;  and  the  tourist  can  hardly 
appreciate  the  local  scenery,  unless  he  takes  a  drive 
around  them,  or  ascends  to  the  dome  of  the  Observ- 
atory. 

The  position  of  Portland  is  peculiarly  favorable  for 


ta 


POnTLANT),    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    ANT> 


commerce  and  nmmifnctnres.  Its  hnrhnr  may  be 
entered  at  all  times  without  risk,  is  safe  and  commo- 
dious for  vessels  of  the  largest  clais,  and  is  rarely 
frozen  over — never  wholly  so — even  during  the  most 
severe  winters  ;  and  while  it  is  sufliL-icntly  capacious 
to  accommodate  an  immense  commerce,  is  so  shaped 
that  the  broad  ocean  is  scarcely  two  and  a  half  miles 
from  any  of  its  docks. 

la  1850,  the  (quantity  of  shipping  owned  in  the 
district  was  8G,-'302  tons,  and  at  present  it  is  not  far 
from  100,000  tons.  The  value  of  imports,  which 
in  ISr  was  $120,000,  had  increased  in  1851,  to 
$952,347. 

Portland  has  probably  a  larger  commerce  with  the 
"West  Indies  than  any  other  port  in  the  Union.  In 
1851,  of  the  article  of  molasses,  there  was  imported 
thence  over  six  and  a  half  millions  of  gallons,  and 
of  sugar  over  two  millions  of  ])ounds. 

In  regard  to  manufacturing,  the  excellent  water 
privileges  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city  on  the  Pre- 
sumi)scot  Riv^er,  aflbrd  almost  unequalled  facilities, 
which  will,  without  doubt,  at  no  distant  day  be  im- 
proved to  a  much  greater  extent  than  at  present. 

Portlauvl  con.stituted  a  part  of  Falmouth  until  1776, 
and  went  uy  the  name  of  Falmouth  Neck.  In  that 
year  it  was  incori)oraled  as  a  separate  town,  and 
received  its  present  name.  In  1832,  it  was  incorpo- 
rated as  a  city.  The  city  proper  is  divided  into  seven 
wards,  and  the  government  consists  of  a  mayor, 
chosen  at  large — and  one  alderman  and  three  common 
councilmen,  chosen  in  each  of  the  wards. 

There  are  twenty-four  organized  churches  in  the 
city:  twenty-three  schools  supported  by  the- public,  at 


4 

f 

I 


MONTIIEVL  RAIL    ROAD    OUIDE. 


19 


'Or  may  be 
n<l  coinmo- 
"'  is  rarely 
"i,^  the  most 
'  ca])acious 
'  so  .slmj)e(.l 
li!»li  miles 

^cd  in  the 

is  not  far 

ts,   which 

1851,  to 

■  with  the 
11  ion.     Jn 

iiiij)ortecl 
oils,  and 

It  water 
the  Pre- 
licilities, 
'■  be  im- 
nt. 

il  1776, 
In  that 
'11,  and 
icorpo- 
'  seven 
mayor, 
•nimon 

in  the 
»Jic,  at 


an  annual  expense  of  about  S-0,000,  exclusive  of  the 
cost  of  crectinj];  school  houses. 

The  first  Rail  Road  which  had  its  terminus  in  Port- 
land, was  the  Portsmouth,  Saco  and  Portland  Rail 
Road,  completed  in  1812.  It  is  little  over  hfty  miles 
in  lenjjjlh,  and  in  connection  with  the  Eastern  Rail 
Road,  forms  one  of  the  lines  to  Roston.  The  popula- 
tion of  the  city,  is  at  present,  (spring  of  1853,)  about 
twenty-five  thousand. 

CASCO    BAY. 

Few  sheets  of  water  compare  for  romantic  and 
beautiful  scenery  with  Casco  Bay,  an  arm  of  which 
mukes  the  harbor  of  Portland.  Its  surface  is  broken 
np  with  more  than  three  hundred  islands,  scattered 
irregularly,  so  as  to  present  to  the  tourist  who  may 
be  drifting  over  its  summer  wave,  an  ever  varying 
series  of  enchanting  views.  !Now  his  boat  glides 
safely  along  under  some  rocky  shore,  so  near  that  he 
may  seize  the  down  stooping  forest  branches,  and 
swing  himself  upon  the  jutting  points  —  anon  some 
tranquil  inlet  opens,  revealing  the  fisherman's  snug 
cottage,  with  its  grassy  slope,  fruit  trees  and  sheltering 
wood  in  the  rear,  and  his  trimly  painted  skiff  curtsy- 
ing to  the  waves  in  some  protecting  nook.  Again  the 
scene  assumes  more  wild  and  primitive  features, 
craggy  ledges,  grown  gray  in  opposing  the  gale  and 
billow,  bold  promontories  surmounted  by  trees  of 
gigantic  pro])ortions,  above  which  high  in  the  blue 
empyrean,  perchance  sails  the  bald  eagle  ;  long  reach- 
es of  glimmering  sand  beach,  upon  which  the  weary 
waves  journeying  in  from  the  broad  sea  throw  them- 
selves as  if  glad  to  find  a  resting  place ;  and  then  there 


20 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


are  forest  embowered  coves,  and  grassy  openings, 
that  have  known  no  changes  save  snch  as  Nature  has 
wroughi,  for  ages,  inviting  him  to  their  cool  retreats. 
In  shoit,  the  adventurer  may  thus  sail  on  for  days, 
amidst  ever  varying,  hut  always  interesting  scenes. 

If  he  wishes  to  lisli,  let  him  "  round  to,"  in  any  of 
the  passages  where  the  water  is  of  suilicient  deptii, 
and  throw  his  lines  over,  and  he  will  soon  have  on 
board  a  mesf^  of  noble  haddock  —  and  then,  if  he  be 
so  minded,  he  can  steer  for  some  one  of  these  beau- 
tiful retreats,  and  any  boat  skipper  belonging  to  Port- 
land, can  make  him  a  chowder,  worthy  of  the  sago  of 
Marshfield.  Or,  if  he  wishes  a  fish  fry,  let  him  run 
in  near  the  shore  at  any  point  where  it  is  bold  and 
rocky,  and  a  half  hour  will  suffice  to  procure  a  mess 
of  sea  perch,  (here  called  cunners)  by  many  consid- 
ered the  finest  pan  fish  taken  from  the  water. 

One  of  the  inlets  most  resorted  to,  is 

DIAMOND    COVE, 

A  pretty  good  idea  of  which  may  be  had  from  the 
truthful  sketch  which  occupies  the  following  page  — 
so  called,  from  the  quantity  of  quartz  crystals,  which 
were  formerly  found  about  its  shores.  It  makes  in 
at  the  North  Eastern  extremity  of  Diamond  Island, 
some  five  oi  six  miles  from  the  city. 

Its  shores  are  bold  and  rocky,  and  rise  on  either 
side  to  the  height  of  forty  or  fifty  feet,  crowned  with 
immense  beeches,  maples,  oaks  and  pines,  manv  of 
which  throw  their  branches  far  over  the  water,  afford- 
ing shelter  alike  from  the  sun  and  sudden  shower. 
The  inlet  is  further  secluded  from  the  ocean,  by  a 
gem  of  an   islet   sea-ward,   whose  steep  slopes  are 


JD 


openings, 
jVoture  has 
ol  retreats, 
■  Tor  days, 
:  scenes, 
in  any  of 
pnt  depth, 
1  have  on 
1,  if  he  be 
esc  beau- 
g  to  Tort- 
e  sage  of 
t  him  run 
bold  and 
e  a  mess 
y  consid- 


from  the 
■  page  — 
s,  which 
lakes  in 
Island, 

n  either 
ed  with 
lany  of 
afford- 
iliower. 
1.  by  a 
es  are 


■  <f 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


23 


covered  with  a  thrifty  growth  of  silver  firs  and  other 
evergreens.  At  its  inner  extremity  is  a  pebbly  beach 
furnishing  an  excellent  landing  place,  and  above  th'3 
bank  beyond,  spreads  a  grassy  level  of  half  .in  acre 
in  extent,  overshadowed  by  two  or  three  great  oaks 
and  lindens,  affording  ample  accommodations  for  pic 
nic  parties.  Some  of  the  maples  and  pines  contiguous 
to  the  cove  are  of  immense  size  and  height  —  meas- 
uring not  unfrequcntly  from  tv/elve  to  fifteen  feet  in 
circumference.  Above  the  thickets  of  these  immense 
forest  giants,  during  the  summer  months,  sailing  slowly 
in  graceful  circles,  or  at  rest  on  some  of  the  upper- 
most boughs,  the  ospray,  may  be  always  seen,  inti- 
mating with  his  shrill  cry,  his  disapproval  of  the 
intrusion  of  the  stranger  upon  his  primeval  domain. 

The  forests  far  extending  round, 

Ne'er  to  the  spoiler's  axe  resound ; 

Nor  is  man's  toil  or  traces  there  ; 

But  resteth  all  as  lone  and  fair, 

The  sunny  slopes,  the  rocks  and  trees, 

As  desert  isles  in  Indian  seas, 

That  sometimes  rise  upon  the  view 

Of  some  far-wandering,  wind-bound  crew, 

Sleeping  alone  mid  ocean's  blue. 

And  through  tiie  long,  bright,  summer  day, 

When  ocean,  calm  as  mountain  lake. 

Bears  not  a  breath  its  hush  to  break, 

The  snowy  sea-gull  tilts  away 

Upon  the  long,  smooth  swell,  that  sweeps, 

In  curving,  wide,  unbroken  reach, 

Around  the  clitf  from  outer  deeps, 

Unwinding  up  the  pebbly  beach. 

And  lovely  there  is  sunset-hour ! 
When  twilight  fiills  with  soothing  power 
Along  the  forest-windings  dim. 
And  from  the  thicket,  sweet  and  low, 
3* 


24 


PORTLAND.    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


\ 


The  wood-thrush  pours  a  farewell  hymn 
To  daylif^ht's  hvtcst,  lingerin{r  ylow  — 
When  slope,  anil  rock,  and  wood  around, 
In  all  their  dreamy,  hushed  repose, 
Are  glassed  adown  tlic  bright  profound  — 
O,  ])assing  fair  is  evening's  c'osc, 
When  from  the  bright,  cerulean  dome, 
The  sea-fowl,  that  iiave  all  the  day 
Wheeled  o'er  the  for,  lone  billows'  spray, 
Came  thronging  to  their  eyrii-s  liome  ; 
When  over  rock  and  wave  remote. 
From  yon  dim  fort,  the  bugle's  note 
Along  the  listening  air  doth  creep, 
Seeming  to  steal  down  from  the  sky, 
Or  with  o:tt-bnrsting,  martial  sweep, 
Rings  through  the  foret:!,  clangmg  high, 
Wiiile  echo,  waked,  bears  on  the  strain, 
Till  faint,  beyond  the  trackless  .iiain. 
In  realms  of  space  it  seems  to  die. 
But  lovelier  still  is  night's  calm  noon  1 
When  like  a  scanymph's  fairy  bnik, 
The  mirrored  cre.-cent  of  the  moon 
Swings  on  the  waters  weltering  dark  ; 
And  in  her  solitary  beam,   . 
Upon  each  bald,  storm-beaten  height. 
The  quartz  and  mica  wildly  gleam. 
Spangling  the  rocks  witli  »nagic  light. 

A  pleasant  clay  in  summer,  will  always  see  gay 
parties  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  scattered  around  the 
shores,  some  engaged  in  cooking  the  savory  chowder, 
some  wandering  among  the  trees,  some  dancing  on 
the  green  sward,  some  fishing  for  perch,  —  giving  a 
lively  aspect  to  the  frowning  rocks,  and  shadowy 
aisles  of  the  wood. 

Pleasant  Cove,  is  another  delightful  resort  at 
Diamond  Island ;  and  as  much  might  be  said,  with 
truth,  of  Elm  Cove,  Barge  Cove,  and  many  other 
secluded  inlets  of  the  Islands. 


MONTREAL    HAIL   ROAD    GUIDE. 


25 


Persons  who  wish  to  take  excursions  on  the  Bay, 
can  always  procure  pleasure  boats  kept  specially  for 
the  purpose ;  but  those  who  arc  not  acustomed  to 
manage  sail  boats  should  obtain  the  services  of  expe- 
rienced hands,  which  they  can  readily  do  for  a  tri- 
fling sum. 

CAPE   ELIZABETH, 

On  the  Southeasterly  side  of  Portland  harbor,  and 
stretching  away  ocean-ward  some  three  leagues,  pos- 
sesses a  diversity  of  scenery,  and  majiy  objects  of 
attraction  to  the  tourist.  Its  bold  cliffs,  wild  and  rag- 
ged, and  in  many  places  shattered  by  the  onslaughts 
of  tempests,  or  upheaved  by  the  levers  of  the  winter 
frosts,  are  incessantly  lashed  by  breakers. 

The  watering  places  on  the  Cape  are  worthy  of  all 
celebrity,  and  are  gradually  becoming  places  of  fash- 
ionable resort.  Of  these  the  nearest  to  Portland, 
being  only  three  miles  distant,  is  Cape  Cottage,  a 
fine,  large  commodious  structure,  built  of  stone  in  the 
Gothic  style  of  architectare.  It  would  be  difficult 
to  imagine  anything  more  pictiu'esque  than  its  loca- 
tion. In  front,  outposts  of  the  grassy  knolls  and  hol- 
lows which  surround  the  house,  is  an  array  of  ragged 
cliffs  and  sunken  ledges,  about  which  the  breakers 
are  forever  toiling ;  and  beyond  is  the  ocean  stretch- 
ing without  a  break  to  the  honzon.  On  the  left  is  the 
main  entrance  to  Portland  harbor,  so  that  every 
vessel  which  enters  or  leaves  the  port  passes  in  full 
sight,  and  in  the  distance  are  the  outer  islands  of 
Casco  Bay.  On  the  right  are  the  receding  shores  of 
the  Cape,  the  light  house  with  its  encircling  cliffs  and 
downs  ;  and  in  the  rear  are  fine  views  of  campaign 
and  farming  country. 


26 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


Sea  perch  or  cimners,  abound  about  the  rocks,  and 
scarcely  a  stone's  throw  from  the  house  a  sechided 
cove  makes  in,  at  the  head  of  which  is  a  hard  sand 
beach,  pecuharly  elegible  for  bothing. 

A  drive  along  the  coast  five  miles  further,  brings 
the  excursionist  to  the  Ocean  House,  a  very  large 
and  commodious  establishment,  situated  near  the 
pitch  of  the  Cape,  where  the  benefit  of  sea  air  and 
sea  sports  may  be  enjoyed  in  perfection,  while  its 
cupola  commands  a  diversity  of  interesting  prospects, 
from  the  ragged  reefs,  bold  headlands,  far  reaching 
sand  beaches,  and  surging  waters  of  the  ocean  to  the 
calmer  pictures  of  cultivated  fields  and  woodlands. 
The  direct  road  hence  to  Portland,  is  perhaps  the 
finest  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city. 

Richmond  Island,  half  a  mile  off  the  shore,  in  the 
early  settlement  of  the  country,  was  much  resorted  to 
for  fishing,  and  not  a  few  varieties  of  the  finny  tribe 
still  continue  abundant  about  its  ledges,  as  those  who 
are  fond  of  fishing  can  readily  satisfy  themselves,  by 
experiment. 

The  two  light  houses  at  the  ])itch  of  the  Cape,  and 
the  fog  bell  tower,  situated  in  a  most  roinar  tic  locality, 
about  three  quarters  of  a  mile's  walk  from  the  Ocean 
House,  should  not  be  overlooked  by  the  tourist. 

From  the  Ocean  House  a  pleasant  drive  along  the 
coast  Southerly  of  eight  miles,  brings  you  to  Prout's 
Neck,  a  lone  promontory  jutting  far  into  the  ocean, 
much  resorted  to  in  summer  from  Portland,  and  all 
the  surrounding  country,  by  pic  nic  parties.  There  is 
no  hotel  here,  but  the  excellent  family  who  own  and 
occupy  the  Neck,  provide  house  room  for  visiters, 
take  care  of  their  horses,  furnish  fishing  lines  and  bait, 


i 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


27 


»',  brings 
'i'y  large 
lear   the 

air  and 
^hile  its 
■ospects, 
caching 
n  to  the 
xllands. 
aps  the 

,  in  the 
5rted  to 
ly  tribe 
se  who 
ves,  by 

e,  and 

•cahty, 
Ocean 

ig-  the 
out's 
cean, 
id  all 
Jre  is 
and 
iters, 
bait, 


(to  catch  the  cunncrs  wliich  abound  about  the  shores, 
for  the  fry  which  is  considered  an  indispensible  fea- 
ture in  the  dinners  there)  furnish  tal)lc  ware,  and 
cheerfully  do  every  thin^  in  their  })ower  to  render  the 
visit  of  strangers  agreeable.  Not  unfrequently  a  hun- 
dred vehicles,  embracing  all  descri])tions  in  us2,  may 
be  seen  at  this  place  at  once;  and  the  clifis,  the  fields, 
and  far  sweeping,  white  sand  beaches,  scattered  over 
ivith  groups  of  gay  loiterers,  present  a  most  enliven- 
ing appearance. 

Another  place  of  interest  on  the  Cape,  is  Fort 
Preble,  wliich,  with  Fort  Scammel,  commands  the 
entrance  of  Portland  harbor.  The  parade  ground, 
batteries,  and  every  thing  about  the  fort,  are  kept 
remarkably  neat,  and  the  gentlemanly  officers  in  com- 
mand of  the  post  are  always  ready  to  extend  to  visi- 
tors every  courtesy  in  their  power. 

The  new  Farm  School  and  grounds,  at  the  extreme 
Western  part  of  Cape  Elizabeth,  are  also  well  worthy 
the  notice  of  tourists. 

WKSTBROOK. 

This  town,  connected  with  Portland  on  the  "West 
by  a  narrow  neck  of  land,  is  a  place  of  considerable 
importance.  Its  territory  is  large,  and  comprises  eight 
distinct  villages,  viz  :  Stroudwater,  Westbrook  Point, 
Woodford's  Corner,  Stevens's  P'ains,  Shaw's  Corner, 
Congin,  Saccarappa,  and  Tukey's  Bridge  Village. 
The  inlial)itants  chiefly  devote  their  attention  to  man- 
ufacturing and  farming. 

The  new  burial  place  of  Portland,  at  Stevens's 
Plains,  called  Evergreen  Cemetery,  purchased  in 
1851,  is  a  secluded  and  beautiful  area  of  undulating 


ma 


Mam 


28 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


woodland,  about  fifty-five  acres  in  extent,  wliicli  must 
become  attractive  to  those  who  love  the  quietude  of 
woodland  walks  and  the  gentle  admonitions  of  the 
grave.  The  York  and  Cumberland  Hail  Road  passes 
within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  place,  so  that  it  may 
be  easily  reached  from  the  city. 

Portions  of  the  scenery  of  Wostbrook  are  highly 
attractive,  particularly  those  bordering  on  the  ]}ay. 
The  views  from  Rocky  Hill  are  likewise  very  fine, 
and  the  road  from  the  city  around  Back  Cove,  from 
one  bridge  to  the  other,  furnishes  a  delightful  diive. 

Portland  is  a  commodious  centre  for  pleasure  travel. 

LAKE    SEBAGO, 

So  celebrated  for  its  noble  trout  and  pickerel,  and 
for  its  enchanting  scenery,  is  only  seventeen  miles 
distant,  and  is  easily  accessible  by  the  York  and  Cum- 
berland Rail  Road.  The  lake  is  spread  over  a  space 
of  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  square  miles,  and  is 
beautifully  diversified  with  wooded  islands,  rocky 
bluffs,  and  jutting  promontories,  while  its  ])crspectiv6 
views  have  the  charm  of  distant  lofty  mountains. 

Songo  River,  a  wild  and  winding  stream,  connects 
it  with  Long  Lake,  nnother  romantic  sheet  of  water; 
and  a  pretty  steamer  called  the  Fawn  plies  daily 
between  the  landing  at  the  foot  of  Sebago,  and  the 
pleasant  villages  of  North  Bridgton  and  Harrison,  at 
the  head  of  Long  Lake. 

The  Summit  Hotel  on  Pleasant  Mountain,  a  favor- 
ite resort  of  excursionists  who  delight  in  sublime  and 
beautiful  scenery,  which  may  there  be  enjoyed  to  the 
fullest  extent,  is  only  seven  miles  from  the  landing 
place  on  the  lake  at   Centre  Bridgton,  and  teams  run 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD   GUIDE. 


29 


ic-li  must 
etude  of 
IS  of  the 
d  passes 
it  it  may 

e  highly 
he  IJay. 
cry  fine, 
:c,  from 
111  drive, 
e  travel. 


rel,  and 
n  miles 
d  Cura- 
a  space 
,  and  is 
I,  rocky 
ipective 
ins. 

onnects 
water ; 
s  daily 
md  the 
ison,  at 

I  favor- 
ne  and 
.  to  the 
anding 
ms  run 


the 


daily  meeting  the  boat,  between 
rying  the  traveler,  if  he  be  so  disposed,  to  the  very 
top  of  the  mountain.  The  house  is  under  the  propri- 
etorship of  Mr.  J.  S.  Sargent,  for  many  years  favorably 
known  as  the  landlord  of  the  New  England  House,  in 
Portland,  and  not  only  is  he  an  adejit  in  jiroviding  for 
the  wants  of  the  inner  man,  but  he  can  point  out  every 
object  of  interest  in  the  vast  range  of  country  which 
the  mountain  overlooks. 

Bear  Mountain,  another  eminence,  exceedingly 
grand  and  romantic  in  its  features,  is  but  five  miles 
from  Harrison  ;  and  the  delightful  village  of  Water- 
ford  Centre,  which  boasts  of  one  of  the  most  excel- 
lent hotels  of  the  whole  region,  the  Lake  House, 
occupies  a  level  plain  near  its  base.  From  this  house, 
passing  under  a  precipice  of  the  mountain  six  or 
seven  hundred  feet  in  height,  and  so  near  to  the  pic- 
turesque sheet  of  water  called  Bear  Lake,  as  scarcely 
to  leave  room  for  the  carriage  road,  the  Eastern  slope 
of  the  mountain  is  easily  attained  ;  thence  a  road  has 
been  cut  to  the  summit  of  such  easy  grades  as  to 
admit  of  the  passage  of  carriages  up  and  down  with 
perfect  safety.  An  observatory  eighty  feet  in  h'^ight, 
is  about  being  constructed  near  the  edge  of  the  preci- 
pice, which,  by  elevating  the  tourist  above  the  forest 
tops,  will  give  him  a  more  full  view  of  the  array  of 
lakes,  rivers,  forests  and  mountains  in  the  vicinity, 
than  has  heretofore  been  obtained  from  any  eminence. 

Turning  on  the  other  hand  from  Portland  Easterly, 
for  localities  abounding  in  fine  scenery  or  sporting 
facilities,  we  find  Mount  Desert  Island,  distant 
about  seventy  miles  down  the  coast,  easily  accessible 
by  the    steamers  running  to   Eastport  and   St.  John. 


30 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


The  mnfinificcnt  scenery  of  this  looality  is  destined, 
at  no  distant  day,  to  l)cconic  fu.i.oiis  over  the  whole 
country,  and  is  now  Ircciuontly  resorted  to. 

Then  apain  to  reach  Moosehead  Lake,  the  liead 
waters  of  the  Ke  mebec  River,  so  fainons  for  its  wild 
game  tind  noble  tr'^'ut  fishing,  the  easiest  route  is 
from  Portland  by  way  of  the  Athnitic  and  Andros- 
coggin and  Kennebec  Rail  Roads  to  Waterville. thence 
by  the  regular  stages  through  Norridgewock,  k.c. 

But  it  is  time  that  we  should  be  on  our  way  over 
the  Atlantic  and  St.  Lawrence  Rail  Road,  towards  the 
White  Mountains — a  description  of  that  route  of 
Pleasure  Travel  being  our  chief  object  in  these  pages. 

Jumi)ing  on  board  one  of  the  Company's  si)lendid 
cars  at  the  station  house  foot  of  India  Street,  we 
rattle  over  the  bridge,  and  immediately  find  ourselves 
passing  through  the  deep  rock  cutting  at  Fish  Poin  . 
Then  Casco  Bay  opens  in  full  view,  and  for  a  mile 
or  so  while  passing  around  the  Neck  and  over  the 
pile  bridge  that  crosses  to  Westbrook,  the  broad  bay 
is  seen  with  its  islands,  receding  to  the  dim  shores  of 
Brunswick  and  Harpswell.a  distance  of  twenty  miles. 

The  train  sweeps  raj)idly  through  the  Easterly  por- 
tion of  Westbrook,  about  two  miles,  revealing  some 
pleasant  features  of  rural  and  water  scenery,  when  it 
reaches  the  bank  of  the 


PRESUMPSCOT. 

From  Portland,  distant  3  miles  ;  from  the  Whito  Mountains  88  miles  ;  from 

Montreal  289  mile.'t. 

This  stream  takes  its  rise  at  Sebago  Lake,  distant 
about  twenty  miles,  and  being  but  slighly  affected  by 
drought  or  freshets,  and  liaving  many  '•  water  privi- 


I 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


31 


cle.stinc'l, 

1 

he  whole 

'I 

the  head 

<A 

)r  its  wild 

;  route  is 

I  Andros- 

lle.tlieiice 

.  ^c. 

way  over 

wards  the 

: 

;  route  of 

?se  pages. 

splendid 

itreet,  we 

ourselves 

sh   Poin  . 

for  a  mile 

.  over  the 

broad  bay 

shores  of 

■_■« 

nty  miles. 

sterly  por- 

ing some 

Y,  when  it 


8  miles ;  from 

ce,  distant 
ffectedby 
ater  privi' 


leges"  in  its  descent  to  the  Bay,  some  of  which  arc 
improved  to  considerable  extent  for  manufacturing 
purposes,  it  has  an  important  bearing  on  the  prosperity 
of  Portland  and  the  surrounding  country. 

The  track  crosses  the  Presumpscot  by  a  bridge 
three  hundred  feet  in  length  and  lifty  feet  high,  and  a 
mile  and  a  half  further  on,  reaches  the  station  house  at 

FALMOUTH, 

From  Portland  5  miles,  from  the  White  Mountains  86  miles,  from  Montreal 

287  miles. 

The  inhabitants  of  this  town  mostly  devote  their 
attention  to  farming,  although  some  ship  building  is 
carried  on  in  its  Eastern  section.  A  considerable  por- 
tion of  its  soil  is  of  superior  quality  for  tillage. 

On  we  go  through  an  undulating  country,  with  cul- 
tivated fields  and  pasture  lands  on  either  hand,  and 
here  and  there  a  wooded  hill  presenting  a  pleasing 
contrast,  and  reach 

CUMBERLAND, 

From  Portland  9  miles,  from  the  White  Mountains  82  miles,  from  Montreal 

283  miles. 

Tliis  place  in  its  main  characteristics  is  much  the 
same  as  Falmouth,  and  like  Falmouth,  it  furnishes 
not  a  few  of  its  hardy  sons  to  man  our  mercantile 
marine. 

The  cars  sweep  rapidly  on,  with  occasional  glimpses 
of  the  land  locked  bay  coming  into  sight ;  and  sud- 
denly bursts  upon  the  view  the  flourisliing  sea  port  of 

YARMOUTH, 

From  Portland  11  miles,  from  the  White  Mountains  80  miles,  from  Montreal 

281  miles. 

This  town  till  witliin  three  or  four  years,  constituted 
4 


3fi 


roilTLAND,    WIllTi:     MOlf.NTAINS    AND 


a  part  of  North  Yannoiilh.  It  is  one  of  the  oUlcst 
settlements  in  the  State,  nncl  its  early  history  ahoimds 
with  interestin|jf  incidents,  some  of  which  have  hecomc 
"  renowned  in  song  and  story."  The  early  settlers 
occupied  the  territory  which  is  now  known  as  the 
Fore  Side,  but  in  time  the  superior  advantages  of  tlic 
present  centers  of  business  and  population  became 
more  appreciated,  and  this  locality  was  in  a  measure 
deserted.  One  of  the  most  interesting  rehcs  of  its 
early  history  was  a  massive  church  erected  more  than 
a  century  ago,  which  often  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  lovers  of  the  pictures(iue.  It  stood  on  a  grassy 
level  at  the  foot  of  a  high  ridge  of  granite,  and  its 
tower  looked  out  upon  extensive  views  of 


I 


"  Forest  and  meadow  and  sic  -^c  of  hill 
Around  it  lonely,  lovely,  ouu  still." 

For  many  successive  sunmicrs  the  dandelion  dis- 
played its  golden  crowns  in  the  paths  leading  to  its 
portals,  and  the  grasshopper  chirped  to  the  quietude 
on  the  broad  stone  step  before  its  principal  entrance; 
undisturbed  by  the  foot  of  the  worshipper.  But  its 
oaken  timbers  might  subserve  some  i)urposc  of  prac- 
tical utility —  its  destruction  was  decided  upon,  and 
all  that  now  remains  to  indicate  that  it  ^ver  existed 
is  the  iron  spire  and  weather  vane,  which  aia  firmly 
fixed  on  the  granite  ledge  near  which  it  stood. 

It  would  well  repay  the  tourist  to  spend  half  a  day 
in  a  ride  through  this  locality,  and  along  the  pleasant 
road  that  skirts  the  Bay,  through  the  rows  of  stately 
elms  that  in  some  places  are  planted  beside  it — cros- 
sing about  three  miles  from  the  tow"  and  returning 
by  the  old  post  road. 


MONTREAL   RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


88 


lie  oldest 
'  ahoiiuds 
0  become 
/■  settlers 
n  as  the 
es  of  the 
became 

measure 
ics  of  its 
lore  than 
cntion  of 

a  grassy 
3,  and  its 


Quite  a  largo  amount  of  wealth  is  concentered  in 
Yarmouth,  not  a  few  of  its  citizens  being  ship  owners 
on  an  extensive  scale,  and  ship  building  is  ajsource 
of  pros])erity  to  the  place. 

Royal's  Rivt>r,  which  flows  from  Sabbath-day  Pond, 
in  New  Gloucester,  some  twenty  miles  distant,  having 
tributaries  in  Pownal  and  Gray,  here  furnishes  valua- 
ble water  power  which  is  improved  by  the  erection  of 
a  large  brick  cotton  mill,  and  is  the  incentive  to  sev- 
eral other  kinds  of  manufactures. 

Besides  its  manufacturing  and  ship})ing  interests, 
Yarmouth  can  boast  its  two  excellent  and  well  pat- 
ronized academics.  The  population  at  the  present 
time  numbers  about  2500. 


elion  dis- 
ing  to  its 
quietude 
entrance; 
But  its 

of  prac- 
ipon,  and 
existed 
le  firmly 

d. 

ilf  a  day 

pleasant 
•f  stately 

it — cros- 
retuming 


YARMOUTH    JUNCTION, 

One  mile  above  the  village,  is  the  point  where  the 
Kennebec  and  Portland  Rail  Road  intersects  the 
Montreal  Road,  and  passengers  bound  for  the  towns 
on  the  lower  Kennebec,  can  here  take  the  cars. 

This  road  extends  from  Portland  ti  Augusta, 
through  some  of  the  most  flourishmg  districts  of  the 
State.  From  Brunswick  a  branch  diverges  to  Bath, 
a  distance  of  nine  miles.  The  i)laces  through  which 
the  trunk  line  passes  from  the  intersection  of  the  two 
roads  at  Yarmouth,  are  Freeport,  from  Portland  19 
miles,  Brunswick  27  miles,  Topsham  28  miles,  Bow- 
doinham  35  miles,  Richmond  43  miles.  South  Gardi- 
ner 48  miles,  Gardiner  53  miles,  Hallowell  58  miles, 
Augusta  GO  miles. 

Returning  to  the  Montreal  Road,  the  country  on- 
ward, through  North  Yarmouth  is  level,  fair  arable 
soil,  varied  here  and  there  with  tracts  of  pasture  and 


v^ 


34 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


second  growth  woodland  —  presenting  nothing  in  its 
features  very  attractive.  The  inhabitants,  numbering 
some  fifteen  hundred,  devote  their  attention,  however, 
ahnost  exchisively  to  agriculture,  and  there  are  some 
superior  farms  off  the  road.  The  town  has  no  village, 
properly  so  speaking ;  and  standing  by  itself  alone,  is 
the  station  house  of 

NORTH  YARMOUTH, 

From  Portland  15  miles,  from  the  ^VTiite  Mountains  76  miles,  from  Montreal 

277  miles. 

Passengers  for  the  lower  part  of  Po\vnal  and  Dur- 
ham, as  well  as  those  for  North  Yarmouth,  here  leave 
the  cars. 

The  country  onward  becomes  more  undulating,  and 

is  possessed  of  not  a  few  features  of  rurrd  thrift  and 

beauty. 

POWNAL, 

The  next  stopping  place,  is  19  miles  from  Portland,  72  from  the  >VTiite  Moun- 
tains ;  and  from  Montreal  273  miles. 

Tarrying  here  but  a  moment,  the  fire  horse  starts 
off,  as  if  with  aore  eager  impulse,  on  a  descending 
grade  and  soon  halts  for  the  accommodation  of  pas- 
sengers at 

NEW  ai.OUCESTER, 

From  Portland  22  miles,  from  the  VThite  Mountains  69  miles,  from  Montreal  270 

miles. 

This  is  one  of  the  best  farming  towns  in  the  State, 
and  its  territory  comprises  as  small  an  extent  of  what 
is  termed  waste  land  as  any  other.  From  the  station 
house,  the  picturesque  village  may  be  seen  to  the 
Westward,  about  a  mile  distant,  rambling  along  the 
summit  of  a  gently  swelling  hill ;  and  the  extensive 
orchards  on  adjacent  portions  of  elevated  land,  and 


Id 

ling  in  its 
umbering 
however, 
are  some 
lo  village, 
'  alone,  is 


MONTREAL    IIAIL    llOAD    GUIDE. 


35 


torn  Montreal 

and  Dur- 
lere  leave 

ating,  and 
thrift  and 


>Vliite  Moun- 


rse  Starts 
ascending 
»n  of  pas- 


1  Montreal  270 

the  State, 
t  of  what 
he  station 
en  to  the 
along  the 
extensive 
land,  and 


the  mowing  fields  which  sweep  down  the  slopes  and 
spread  out  over  the  intervening  level,  give  indications 
of  the  fine  fruit  and  grass  for  which  the  town  is  noted. 

A  pleasant  region  some  six  miles  above  New  Glou- 
cester Lower  Corner,  has  long  been  occupied  by  a 
community  of  Shakers.  They  are  divided  into  two 
"  families,"  one  located  on  the  borders  of  the  limpid 
sheet  of  water  called  Sabbath-day  Pond,  the  other 
just  over  the  line,  in  Poland.  Their  neat  and  sub- 
'  stantial  buildings,  and  well  enclosed  and  highly  culti- 

vated lands,  and  superior  stock,  can  but  be  remarked 
by  strangers  visiting  them. 
''^  The  Shaker  Village  may  also  be  reached  from  the 

"  Empire  Road"  Station,  the  distance  being  about  the 
same  as  from  New  Gloucester. 

One  other  stopping  place,  in  New  Gloucester  and 
the  next  on  the  Kail  Road,  is  called 

COBB'S    BRIDQE, 

From  Portland  24  miles,  from  the  White  Mountains  67  miles,  from   Montreal 

268  miles. 

There  is  little  here  to  attract  attention,  so  we  will 
hurry  on  to 

DANVILLE  JUNCTION, 

From  Portland  28  miles,  from  the  White  Mountains  63  miles,  from  Montreal 

264  miles. 

At  this  point  branches  off  the  Androscoggin  and 

Kennebec  Rail  Road,  and   penetrates  the   interior 

of  Maine  to  the  important  town  of  Waterville,  on  the 

Kennebec  River,  a  distance  of  fifty  five  miles.     It  is 

a  noble  work,  built  on  the  five  and  a  half  feet  gauge, 

the  same  as  the   Atlantic  Road,  and  passes  through 

some  of  the  finest  portions   of  the  State,  the  route 
4* 


;i 


36 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


thronghout  almost  its  entire  extent  discovering  the 
evidences  of  energy,  enterprise  and  thrift,  and  also 
abounding  with  ^he  finest  pastoral,  lake,  river  and 
woodland,  scenery. 

The  regular  stations,  and  their  distance  from  Port- 
land, are  —  Auburn,  32  miles  ;  Lewiston,  33  miles  ; 
Greene,  41  miles;  Leeds,  44  miles  ;  Monmouth,  47 
miles ;  Winthrop,  53  miles  ;  Readfield.  59  miles  ;  Bel- 
grade, 67  miles  ;  West  Waterville,  76  miles;  Water- 
ville,  82  miles. 

The  first  mentioned  of  these  places,  Auburn,  is  a 
rapidly  increasing  and  busy  place,  on  the  West  side 
of  the  Androscoggin  River,  just  below  Lewiston 
Falls.  These  falls  afford  motive  power  for  man- 
ufacturing unsurpassed  by  any  in  the  State,  but 
as  yet  they  are  not  improved  to  any  very  considera- 
ble extent,  excepting  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river  at  Lewiston.  Here  enterprise  has  essayed  to 
erect  a  second  Lowell,  and  the  busy  clatter  of  loom 
and  spindle,  the  din  of  the  trip  hammer,  and  keen 
whiz  of  the  circular  saw  drowning  the  roar  of  the 
plunging  and  seething  waters,  in  connection  with  the 
immense  factories  now  in  progress  of  erection,  show 
that  the  movers  in  the  enterprizc  are  in  earnest  in 
their  schemes. 

Winthrop,  twenty  miles  further  up  the  road,  is  a  large 
and  thrifty  place,  pleasantly  situated  between  two 
fine  lakes,  each  of  which  is  several  mih^s  in  extent  — 
and  the  stream  which  connects  them  is  improved  for 
various  kinds  of  manufactures.  Owing  to  its  healthy 
position,  its  delightful  scenery,  and  the  boating  and 
fishing  of  its  picturesque  lakes,  Winthrop  has  become 
a  place  of  considerable  resort  in  summer  for  invalids 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


37 


ring  the 
md  also 
iver  and 

m  Port- 
miles  ; 
Duth,  47 
s  ;  Bel- 
Water- 

irn,  is  a 
est  side 
ewiston 
►r  man- 
ite,  but 
nsidera- 

of  the 
ayed  to 
of  loom 
d  keen 

of  the 
i^ith  the 
I,  show- 
nest  in 

a  large 
en  two 
:tent  — 
ved  for 
lealthy 
ng  and 
)ecome 
iivalids 


and  pleasure  hunters ;  and  is  destined,  it  is  thought,  to 
become  still  more  distinguished. 

Readfield  is  also  an  exceedingly  pleasant  village, 
the  center  of  a  flourishing  business,  and  is  somewhat 
distinguished  for  its  classical  academy,  the  Maine 
Wesleyan  Seminary. 

At  Waterville,  stages  connect  daily  for  Bangor, 
Belfast  and  Moose  Head  Lake.  There  are  other 
stage  connections  along  the  line  of  the  road,  \iz  :  at 
Auburn  thrice  weekly,  for  North  Auburn,  Turner, 
Livermore,  Jay,  Wilton,  Canton,  "^Peru  and  Dixfield. 
At  Keadfield  for  East  Wilton  and  Chesterville  thrice 
weekly,  and  daily  for  Mt.  Vernon,  Vienna  and  Farm- 
ington.  At  Winthrop,  daily  for  Augusta,  the  capital 
of  the  State.  At  Belgrade  for  New  Sharon,  daily, 
and  alternate  days  for  Mercer,  Starks  and  Industry. 

The  Androscoggin  K.ail  Road  joins  the  Water- 
ville Road  at  Leeds,  eighteen  miles  above  the  junc- 
tion of  the  latter  with  the  Atlantic  Road,  and  extends 
on  the  East  side  of  the  Androscoggin  River  to  Liver- 
more  Falls,  distant  twenty  miles.  The  intervening 
stations  are  Curtis's  Corner,  from  Portland  48  miles  ; 
Leeds  Center,  51  miles;  North  Leeds,  54  miles; 
Stricklai  d's  Ferry,  56  miles  ;  and  East  Livermore,  Gl 
miles.  The  charter  of  this  road  contemplates  its  ex- 
tension through  Jay,  and  by  the  rich  valley  of  the 
Sandy  River,  through  the  imjiortant  towns  of  Wilton 
and  Famiington  to  Philhps,  the  whole  distance  from 
its  junction  with  the  Waterville  Road  being  not  far 
from  fifty  miles. 

But,  patient  fellow-traveler,  it  is  time  we  should 
return  from  this  flying  excursion,  back  to  the  White 
Mountrjn  train,  which  we  left  ready  to  start  onward, 
at  Danville  Junction. 


38 


rORTLAND,    WTIITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


I 


We  are  ofl'  again,  and  flying  through  scenery  which 
gives  evidence  of  naving  been  won  but  recently  from 
a  state  of  nature,  until  we  arrive  at 

HOTEL    ROAD, 

From  Portland,  29  miles ;  from  the  Whi'e  Mountains,  62  miles ;  from  Montreal 

263  miles. 

This  is  but  a  small  station,  in  the  town  of  Danville ; 
and  the  adjacent  prospects  give  no  indication  of  the 
natural  advantages,  farming  or  manufacturing,  of  the 
town.  In  fact,  here  as  in  many  other  instances  where 
rail  roads  are  concerned,  the  engineers  have  avoided 
the  more  cultivated  districts,  in  order,  perhaps,  to  re- 
duce the  amount  of  land  damages. 

EMPIRE    ROAD, 

From  Portland,  32  miles ,  from  the  White  Mountains,  59  miles ;  from  Montreal 

260  miles"; 

In  the  town  of  Poland  comes  next ;  its  name  is  prob- 
ably in  some  way  or  other  connected  with  the  fact 
that  a  portion  of  the  town  was  formerly,  and  for  ought 
we  know  to  the  contrary,  is  at  the  present  time,  known 
as  the  Empire.  It  had  its  Emperor,  too,  in  the  person 
of  one  of  its  landholders,  at  least  in  designation.  But 
its  glory,  (and  it  had  a  glory  in  the  noble  forests  of 
pine  timber  that  once  covered  its  hills  and  plains)  has 
departed,  like  that  of  its  illustrious  namesake.  Its 
huge  forest  collossii,  which  at  the  present  day  would 
be  worth  a  mine  of  wealth,  fell  before  the  reckless 
incursions  of  the  woodman,  and  were  wasted  or  sold 
away  for  a  song,  and  only  here  and  there  remains  a 
representative  of  the  race,  towering  on  some  far  hill 
side,  or  protecting  the  ruminating  kine  from  the  sum- 
mer heats  in  some  broad  meadow  —  lonely  and  som- 


■^ 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


39 


which 
tly  from 


1  Montreal 

mville ; 
of  the 
of  the 
where 

voided 
to  re- 


Montreal 

s  prob- 
le  fact 
ought 
inov/n 
person 
I.   But 
sts  of 
s)  has 
!.     Its 
would 
ikless 
r  sold 
lins  a 
r  hill 
sura- 
som- 


bre, yet  still  magnificent  in  its  solitude,  and  worthy  of 
the  dominion  of  its  younger  days. — However 

'•  W'jstward  the  star  of  Empire  takes  its  way," 

and  as  there  is  nothing  par.cularly  inviting  in  the  ap- 
pearance of  things  at  this  point,  we  may  as  well  be 
following  its  example. 

The  country  onward  is  qi.ite  level,  (with  sloping 
hills  in  the  distance)  here  and  there  covered  with 
a  thicket  growth  of  spruce,  whose  deep  recesses 
reverberate  the  clatter  of  the  locomotive  as  though 
half  a  dozen  brazen  monsters  of  the  same  family 
h?.d  broken  loose  among  them  ;  and  in  a  few  minutes 
the  shriek  of  the  whistle  tells  our  approacli  to 

MECHANIC    FALLS, 

From  Portland,  36  miles ;  from  the  Wliit«  Mountains,  55  miles ;  from  Montreal, 

25G  miles. 

This  is  a  flourishing  village,  situated  on  the  Little 
Androscoggin  Ptiver,  partly  in  Poland  and  partly  in 
Minot,  having  been  ])uilt  up  in  a  great  measure  within 
a  few  years.  It  owes  its  prosperity  to  its  water  power, 
on  which  are  situated  several  saw,  grist  and  fulling 
mills. 

The  BucKFiELD  Branch  Bail  Boad  extends  from 
this  place  to  the  busy  town  of  Buckfield,  a  distance 
of  13  miles  Pursuing  our  way  up  the  Atlantic  Boad, 
a  mile  from  Mechanic  Falls,  we  get  a  view  off  to  the 
left  of  Pigeon  Hill,  in  Poland,  with  its  orchards  and 
grass  fields , —  famous  in  the  early  history  of  the  town 
for  the  immense  clouds  of  wild  pigeons  which  re- 
sorted in  autumn  to  the  woods  that  then  clothed  it. 

Again  the  brerkman  is  at  his  post,  and  the  cars 
haul  up  at 


- 


I    II^ 


ri 


40 


PORTLAND,    Wlin  E   MOUNTAINS    AND 


OXP^ORD, 


From  Portland,  40  miles ;  from  the  lATiite  Mountains,  51  miles ;  from  Montreal. 

252  miles. 

This  region  is  somewhat  noted  for  its  lumbering 
operations,  its  chief  kimber  depot  being  at  a  loeaHty 
called  Welchvillc,  about  a  mile  from  the  rail  road 
station. 

The  road  now  (and  likewise  from  Mechanic  Falls 
up)  follows  the  valley  of  the  Little  Androscoggin 
River  —  which  river  it  crosses  several  times  —  reveal- 
ing not  a  few  picturesque  objects  and  scenes  tliat 
would  attract  a  painter's  notice --tranquil  bends  in. 
the  river  overhung  with  elms  and  maples,  and  occa- 
sionally, it  may  be,  a  trout  fisher  standing  on  some 
rock  or  fallen  tree  —  green  nooks  in  the  woods,  from 
which  the  cattle  look  out  as  with  wonder  at  the  mon- 
ster that  is  rushing  by  with  such  turmoil  and  clatter, 
&c.,  until  you  arrive  at 

SOUTH   PARIS, 

From  Portland  48  miles,  from  the  White  Mountains  43  miles,   from  Montreal 

244  miles. 

The  hurry  ai?d  bustle  which  attend  the  arrival  of 
the  cars  at  this  ptint,  indicate  its  immediate  connec- 
tion with  the  welfare  of  the  road.  It  is  the  outlet  of 
the  wealthiest  agricultural  and  manufacturing  portion 
of  Oxford  county,  and  furnishes  more  freight  and 
passengers  to  the  road  than  any  other  station  this 
side  of  the  mountains.  The  large  and  flourishing 
village  of  South  Paris  lies  to  the  Northward  of  tiie 
station. 

Paris  Hill,  one  of  the  oldest  settlements  in  the 
county,  is  about  two  miles  beyond.  Here  is  located 
the  Court  House,  Paris  being  the  shire  town  of  Ox- 


MONTREAL    KAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


41 


)ni  Montreal. 

imberiiiff 
I  locality 
^ail  road 

lie  Falls 
Dscoggin 
-  reveal- 
les  that 
)ends  in 
id  occa- 
n  some 
Is,  from 
le  mon- 
clatter, 


t  Montreal 

LVal  of 
onnec- 
tlet  of 
(ortion 
t  and 
•n  this 
ishing 
3f  tne 

11  the 
cated 
'  Ox- 


ford county ;  and  the  inhabitants  are  distinguished  for 
their  intelligence.  Paris  Hill  is  considered  a  very 
healthy  location,  and  vithal  being  surrounded  with 
attractive  scenery,  it  is  often  resorted  to  in  summer, 
by  people  from  the  sea  side  who  wish  to  avail  them- 
selves of  the  renovating  effects  of  country  air. 

Norway,  two  miles  South  Westerly  of  the  Paris 
Station,  and  connected  therewith  by  an  excellent 
road,  is  a  neat  and  well  built  village,  the  center  of  a 
large  business  —  deriving  a  share  of  its  prosperity 
from  its  manufactures. 

Pike's  Hill,  on  the  South  of  the  village,  rises  to  the 
height  of  six  or  seven  hundred  feet.  It  is  a  wonder 
that  this  eminence  has  received  so  little  attention 
from  tourists,  for  certainly  the  prospects  thence  are 
scarcely  inferior  to  those  of  Mt.  Pleasant  or  Bear 
Mountain.  It  stands  alone,  the  center  as  it  were  of 
an  extensive  amphitheater  of  summits  —  having  no 
outlet  but  towards  the  ocean.  On  the  West  tower 
the  White  Mountains,  their  tops  often  curtained  with 
clouds,  stern  and  gloomy.  Northwardly,  and  nearer, 
Singe  Poll  and  Streaked  Mountain,  and  many  heights 
of  lesser  note,  stand  shoulder  to  shoulder,  as  if  crowd- 
ing each  other  towards  their  great  parent  group  ;  and, 
sweeping  from  the  sides  of  Mt.  Washington  on  the 
other  hand,  wave  a.fter  wave  of  sombre  ridges  line 
the  horizon,  among  which  the  majestic  cone  of  Kia- 
sarge  and  the  nearer  outline  of  Mt.  Pleasant  stand 
conspicuous,  the  public  house  on  each  of  these  sum- 
mits being  distinctly  visible  with  the  aid  of  a  common 
spy-glass,  and  when  the  atmosphere  is  free  from  haze 
with  the  naked  eye. 

At  the  base  of  the  hill  North  Westerly,  and  stretch- 


42 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


It  ' 


I 


I  ^   " 
It  *i 


jng  up  a  valley  diversified  with  fiirming  and  forest 
scenery  is  nestled  a  lovely  sheet  of  water  nine  miles 
long",  which  rejoices  in  the  pretty  Indian  name  of 
Pinnisiwassi,  while  the  village  and  the  meandering 
stream  that  connects  the  lake  with  the  little  Andros- 
coggin, give  variety  to  the  valley  immediately  to  the 
North  Eastward. 

A  tri-wcekly  line  of  stages  connects  with  the  rail 
road  at  the  South  Paris  station  for  Harrison,  Bridg- 
ton,  Waterford,  Lovell  and  Fryeburg,  affording  facili- 
ties, for  those  who  wish  to  take  Pleasant  Mountain 
and  Sebago  Lake  in  their  way,  in  journeying  to  or 
from  the  mountains. 

Again  we  are  undenvay,  and  may  begin  to  claim 
companionship  with  elevations  which  in  England  and 
Scotland  would  be  denominated  mountains. 

Off  to  the  right  may  be  seen  the  houses  and  church- 
es of  Paris  Hill,  with  the  orchards  and  farms  that 
map  its  southern  slope  with  their  rectangular  lines  of 
lively  green.   These  scenes  subside,  and  we  approach 

SNOW'S    FALLS, 

From  Portland,  u3  miles ;  from  the  White  Mountains,  88  miles ;  froni  Montreal, 

239  miles. 

The  train  does  not  always  stop  here,  but  if  the 
traveler  could  spend  an  hour  in  the  vicinity,  he  might 
see  weather  stained  mills,  a  pretty  waterfall,  rugged 
rocks,  and  trees  grouped  as  if  by  art  to  complete  a 
simple  picture,  such  as  Morland  or  Gainsborough 
would  have  selected  as  a  subject  for  their  pencils. 

NORTH    PARIS, 

Is  the  next  station— from  Portland,  distant  65  miles ;  from  the  White  Moun- 
tains, 36  miles ;  from  Montreal,  237  miles. 

There  is  nothing  peculiarly  inviting  at  this  point, 


; 


nd  forest 
ine  miles 
name  of 
andering 
Aiidros- 
ily  to  the 

I  the  rail 
1,  Bridg- 
ig  facih- 
lountain 
ing  to  or 

to  claim 
land  and 

i  church- 
ms  that 
lines  of 
ipproach 

m  Montreal, 

Lt  if  the 
le  might 
rugged 
nplete  a 
borough 
icils. 


hite  Moun- 

s  point, 


MONTRKAL    HAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


45 


but  the  scenery  on  either  hand  begins  to  assume  a 
grandeur  and  diversity  which  cannot  fail  of  being  ob- 
served. 

About  four  miles  from  this  station  begins  the  heavi- 
est grade  on  the  whole  road,  being  a  rise  of  60  feet  to 
the  mile.     This  grade  continues  till  you  arrive  at 


BRYANT'S   POND, 

Prom  Tortland  62  miles,   from  tho  White  MountainB  29  miles,  from  Montreal 

230  miles. 

Here  the  track  has  attaiiied  to  an  elevation  of  700 
feet,  while  at  the  boundary  line  of  New  Hampshire 
twenty  miles  above,  it  is  but  690  feet,  the  highest  in- 
tervening rise  being  717  feet,  the  greatest  depression 
645  feet. 

At  this  point  a  pretty  little  village  has  suddenly 
sprung  up.  The  lakelet  (for  a  view  of  which  see  fore- 
going page,)  is  the  source  of  the  Little  Androscoggin 
River  —  it  is  three  miles  in  length  by  from  one  half 
to  three  quarters  of  a  mile  in  width.  On  its  opposite 
side  rises  from  the  edge  of  the  water  a  steep  aclivity 
at  least  a  thousand  feet  in  height,  called  Mount 
Christopher,  so  named  because  an  eavly  settler  of  the 
region  bore  the  name  of  Christopher  Bryant  —  the 
lakelet  retaining  his  surname. 

This  mountain  may  be  easily  ascended  on  its 
Western  side,  and  the  prospect  which  its  top  com- 
mands will  repay  the  tourist  for  any  delay  and  ex- 
pense he  may  incur  in  order  to  make  the  ascent. 

Goose  Eye  Mountain  in  Newry,  and  White  Cap, 
near  the  lines  of  Rumford  in  all  their  sterile  and  ruff- 
ged  grandeur,  may  be  seen  Northeasterly  as  you 
approach  the  Bryant's  Pond  station  house,  and  just 


4G 


rORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    A\D 


above  it  you  catcli  a  siglit  of  Moiinis  JolTerson  nnd 
Adams,  two  of  the  higlicst  peaks  of  llio  White  Moiin- 
tcvin  group. 

The  pond  affords  good  trout  fisliing,  samples  not  un- 
frequontly  l)cing  talcen  in  it  wliii-ii  wi'igh  from  two  to 
three  pounds. 

Stages  liere  connect  with  Rumford  daily,  and  with 
Dixficld  and  Audover  thrice  weelily.  From  the  latter 
place,  the  Umhngog  Lakes,  which  are  the  source  of 
the  Androscoggin  River,  are  easily  accessible.  These 
lakes  present  more  attractions  to  the  lovers  of  the  sub- 
lime and  i)iciures(iue  than  any  similar  scenery  in  New 
England,  while  they  have  long  been  known  as  the 
Utopia  oi'  liunters  and  fishermen. 

The  Southernmost  of  tlie  chain  is  1257  feet  above 
tide  water,  and  the  most  northerly  nearly  an  eciual 
elevation  above  that  point. 

This  whole  region  was  surveyed  by  the  Rail  Road 
Company,  in  hopes  of  finding  a  feasible  route  farther 
North  than  the  present  one,  but  without  success.  A 
tolerable  route  to  the  Lake  Basin,  by  following  the 
Ellis  River  from  Andover  through  Dunn's  Notch,  was 
reconnoitered,  departing  from  the  present  line  at  Bry- 
ant's Pond,  but  insurmountable  obstacles  interposed 
between  the  Lakes  and  the  Connecticut  River,  the 
only  depression  between  these  points,  showing  any 
chance  of  a  route,  that  of  the  famous  Dixville  Notch, 
being  1968  feet  above  tide  Avater,  and  the  topography 
of  the  region  thence  being  of  such  a  character  as  to 
require  a  grade  of  eighty  feet  per  mile  for  over  ten 
miles ;  while  by  the  present  route  of  the  Rail  Road, 
the  greatest  elevation  east  of  the  Connecticut  is  but 
1062  feet,   the  passage  of  the   General   Summit,  at 


MONTIIKAL    HAIL    ROAD    CJUIDK. 


47 


Island  Pond,  1176  feet,  and  the  heaviest  grade  but 
fifty  feet  to  the  mile. 

The  axis  of  the  elevation  of  the  whole  peninsula 
East  of  Lake  Ciiamplain  is  in  fact  North  of  the  Um- 
bagog  Basin  —  in  which  general  summit  the  Connec- 
ticut, the  Androscoggin,  the  Kennebec,  the  Penobscot, 
the  Chaudiere,  and  the  St.  Francis  Rivers  take  their 
rise.  The  general  level  of  this  region  is  between 
2000  and  3000  feet  above  the  ocoan,  and  its  dominant 
peaks  of  the  Camel's  Rump  nnd  Escohos  Mountains, 
vie  in  tlieir  winter  dress  with  the  white  summit  of 
their  more  Southern  neighbor,  Mount  Washington. 

Leaving  Bryant's  Pond,  we  soon  strike  the  Alder 
Stream,  which  we  follow  down  to  the  main  Andros- 
coggin River,  a  distance  of  eight  miles,  unwinding, 
as  it  were,  a  panorama  of  mountain  scenery,  which 
demands  constant  attention;  and  our  first  stopping 
place  thence  is 


LOCKE'S    MILLS, 

From  Portland,  65  miles ;  from  the  AVhite  Mountains,  26  miles ;  from  Montreal, 

227  miles. 

Here  is  a  growing  village,  but  of  more  interest  to 
the  lumberman  than  the  tourist. 

Precipitous  ridges  lift  their  brawny  forms  on  every 
side,  and  at  times  it  seems  impossible  that  the  loco- 
motive should  find  her  way  through  such  a  labyrinth  ; 
but  presently  we  open  on  a  lovely  interval  of  the 
Androscoggin  at 

B  K  T  H  E  L  , 
From  Portland,  70  miles ;  from  the  White  Mountflin  Station  House,  21  miles . 

from  Montreal,  222  miles. 

The  village,  situated  on  rising  ground  a  little  to  the 
left  of  the  station  house,  "  resting  in  the  lap  of  the 
5* 


16 


PORTLAND,     WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


u 


I 


hills,"  with  i;  green  common,  its  neat  dwelling  houses, 
churches  and  stores,  it^  highly  intellectual  inhabitants, 
and  its  fine  scenery,  has  been  called  the  pleasantest 
in  Maine,  not  without  good  reason;  and  it  would  rich- 
ly repay  the  inquiring  tourist  to  spend  a  day  or  two  in 
the  vicinity. 

Here  the  hills  which  have  been  rolling  away  on 
either  hand  as  if  ploughed  asunder  by  the  glancing 
fragment  oi  another  world,  draw  themselves  up  into 
more  compact  forms,  and  with  their  bare  foreheads 
and  brawny  shoulders,  occasionally  intercept  the  wan- 
dering clouds,  or  tear  away  their  dependent  folds  as 
they  float  by. 

A  semicircle  of  these  collosal  steeps  bounds  the 
horizon  at  the  Northward,  conspicuous  among  which 
looms  the  sterile  crags  of  the  Speckled  Mountain, 
whence  flow,  through  sparsely  settled  wilds,  the  Cam- 
bridge, the  Bear,  and  Sunday  Rivers,  the  first  into 
Lake  Umbagog,  the  two  latter  into  the  Androscoggin, 
not  far  below  Bethel.  There,  too,  is  White  Cap,  in 
his  sombre  robe  of  haze,  his  bale!  forehead  lifted  high 
into  the  empyrean,  seemingly  the  patriarch  of  the 
group. 

Nearer  at  hand  are  rich  intervals,  teeming  with 
corn,  wheat,  or  rank  growing  grass,  and  marked  here 
and  there  with  lines  of  tall  elms  and  luxuriant  under- 
growth, which  designate  the  windings  of  tiie  An- 
droscoggin, or  the  noble  stream  itself,  its  clear  waters 
rattling  over  their  rocky  bed,  or  spread  out  in  lake-like 
majesty,  meets  the  view  through  openings  in  the  rocks 
and  woods — all  contrasting  delightfully  with  the  stern- 
er features  of  the  mountains. 

Bethel  is  likewise  a  good  point  of  departure  for 


g  houses, 
labitants, 
jasantest 
)uld  rich- 
or  two  in 

away  on 
glancing 
lip  into 
jreheads 
the  wan- 
folds  as 

mds  the 
?  which 
ountain, 
le  Cam- 
irst  into 
scoggin, 
Cap,  in 
:ed  high 
of  the 

ig   with 
id   here 

under- 
lie An- 

waters 
ke-like 
e  rocks 
3  stern- 


s' 


ire  for 


MONTREAIi    RAIL   ROAD    GUIDE. 


51 


those  wide  and  wild  gems  of  the  wilderness,  Umba- 
gog  and  its  sister  lakes,  and  the  road  thither,  by  the 
V.  ay  of  Newry,  up  the  valley  of  the  Bear  River,  and 
thence  across  the  highlands  and  down  the  Swift  Cam- 
bridge, abounds  in  alpine  scenery,  whose  remarkable 
diversity,  grandeur  and  beauty,  can  only  be  under- 
stood by  those  who  travel  it. 

Both  the  Bear  River  and  the  Swift  Cambridge  are 
famed  for  the  abundance  of  their  delicious  trout,  and 
sportsmen  say  that  spending  a  day  or  two  to  fish  in 
the  former  stream,  the  excursionist  will  find  comforta- 
ble quarters  at  a  cosey  tavern-house  kept  by  a  Mr. 
Smith,  some  five  or  six  miles  up  from  its  mouth. 

From  Bethel,  too,  those  interesting  natural  curiosi- 
ties the  Albany  Basins,  can  be  reached  with  the 
greatest  facility.  These  Basins  deserve  more  than  a 
mere  passing  notice.  They  are  immense  cavities 
worn  by  the  action  of  the  water  in  the  granite  bed  of 
a  small  stream,  in  the  town  of  Albany,  ten  miles  from 
Bethel. 

The  road  between  the  two  points,  winding  off 
among  the  hills,  but  keeping  always  to  the  bed  of  the 
vallies,  is  smooth  and  level.  First  it  traverses  a  cul- 
tivated district  and  along  by  the  shore  of  a  fine  sheet 
of  water  three  miles  in  lengtii,  called  Songo  Pond, 
the  source  of  Crooked  River,  with  blue  distant  moun- 
tains all  around,  —  the  latter  portion  among  scenes  of 
a  more  primitive  character,  made  up  generally  of  thick 
forests,  rugged  slopes  and  precipitous  bluffs  in  con- 
stantly varying  succession. 

About  three  miles  from  the  Basins,  the  road  turns 
square  off  among  the  hills,  and  is  bordered  on  either 
hand  with  forest  trees,  whose  tall,  straight  trunks  sus- 


52 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


tain  a  thick  roof  of  foliage,  through  which  the  sun 
beams  only  here  and  there  find  a  chance  to  enliven 
the  obscurity  of  the  forest  aisles,  the  huunts  of  the 
feathery  ferns,  snowy  anemones  and  blue  asters.  Fol- 
lowing this  by-road  about  a  mile,  you  catch  views 
to  the  left,  of  a  small,  secluded  pond  overgrown  with 
lilly  pads  and  rank  grasses,  and  darkened  on  all  sides 
by  gigantic  forest  trees,  where  it  is  said  the  moose- 
deer  in  former  times,  and  indeed  till  quite  recently, 
resorted  to  feed,  and  where,  if  tales  be  true,  many  an 
an  tiered  monarch  of  the  woods,  has  fallen  before  the 
rifle  of  the  hunter;  hence  it  is  called  Moose  Pond. 

A  few  minutes  ride  thence  you  emerge  into  a  cul- 
tivated opening,  called  the  Kjieeland  Clearing,  where, 
sh'.it  out  from  the  great  world  by  circumjacent  hills, 
two  farmers  with  their  families  reside ;  here  both  road 
and  traveler  come  to  a  halt. 

This  locality  is  one  of  unsurpassed  seclusion ;  on 
the  hill  sides  around,  the  forests  still  hold  possession, 
but  the  warm,  rich  clearing,  is  all  the  more  sheltered 
by  them,  and  peace  and  plenty  seem  to  abide  with  its 
lonely  occupants. 

The  Basins  are  distant  half  a  mile  from  the  inner- 
most of  the  two  houses ;  the  foot  path,  by  which  you 
approach  them,  winding  through  the  woods,  brings  you 
to  the  head  of  the  series. 

The  rocky  ravine  for  the  space  of  some  two  hun- 
dred yards  down,  is  gouged  into  immense  hollows  or 
cisterns,  which  are  choked  up  with  chaotic  masses  of 
granite  rock,  quarried  long  years  since  from  the  pre- 
cipitous bluffs  on  either  hcind,  by  the  unwearying  wa- 
ters. Into  these  cisterns,  and  over  and  under  these 
rocks,   the   stream  plunges   and  twists,  shelves  and 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD   GUIDE. 


53 


foams,  with  a  resonant  song  that  may  be  heard  long 
before  you  reach  the  place.  From  the  impending  bluffs 
the  tall  trees  reach  out  over  the  ravine  and  interlace 
their  boughs,  so  that  through  the  thick  foliage  but  few 
particles  of  sunlight  fall  upon  the  broken  rocks  and 
dancing  water. 

Some  of  the  cavities  are  of  enormous  dimensions, 
the  largest  being  nearly  forty  feet  in  depth  by  thirty 
in  diameter  I  Two  or  three  others  are  nearly  as  large, 
but  all  are  more  or  less  irregular  in  shape,  and  much 
broken  up. 

The  bed  rock  of  the  ravine  is  a  very  hard  and  com- 
pact granite,  and  the  volume  of  water  which  at  pres- 
ent makes  the  stream,  could  not  have  produced  such 
effects  in  thousands  upon  thousands  of  years,  if  indeed 
capable  of  producing  them  at  all.  The  most  probable 
conclusion  to  be  be  arrived  at  is,  that  a  large  and  tu- 
multuous stream,  perhaps  Pleasant  E-iver,  in  some  re- 
mote age,  went  plunging  down  through  the  ravine, 
creating  whirlpools  of  sufficient  power  to  keep  the 
granite  blocks,  tumbled  from  the  steeps  on  either  hand, 
in  a  constant  rotary  motion,  and  so  in  a  long  series  of 
years,  produced  the  phenomena. 

A  slighc  subsidence  in  the  surface  of  the  country 
above  would  have  been  sufficient  to  divert  the  stream 
to  another  channel,  and  there  are  some  indications 
which  lead  one  to  suppose  such  a  subsidence  has  ta- 
ken place. 

The  present  stream  possesses  a  charm  to  the  sports- 
man as  well  as  to  the  naturalist,  in  the  fine  trout  with 
which  its  nooks  and  pools  abound. 

By  an  early  start  from  Bethel,  with  good  horses, 
which  may  be  readily  obtained  at  the  village,  the  ex- 


a 


PORTLAND;    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


ciirsionist  may  reach  the  basins  so  as  to  have  five  or 
six  hours  there  for  exploring  or  fishing,  and  return  in 
time  fijr  supper. 

Once  more  let  us  consider  ourselves  in  the  cars, 
speeding  up  the  Androscoggin  valley. 

Scenes  of  grandeur  and  beauty  meet  the  eye  on 
every  hand,  and  the  traveler,  if  he  have  but  a  mod- 
erate share  of  enthusiasm,  will  find  enough  to  com- 
mand his  constant  attention. 

The  next  station  is 

WEST    BETHEL, 

From  Portland  74  miles,  from  the    Mountain   Station  House  17  miles,  from 

Montreal;  218  miles. 

Soon  after  leaving  the  station,  the  train  passes  over 
Pleasant  Eiver  Bridge,  and  a  mile  or  so  farther  on, 


Mounts  Moriah,  Adams,  and  Jefferson,  from  Gilead. 

where  the  cars  describe  a  gentle  curve  on  a  high  em- 
bankment immediately  contiguous  to  the  Androscog- 
gin, you  have  a  fine  view,  far  up  the  valley,  of  Mts. 


'  I 


MONTUKM.   HAIL    UOAD    GUIDE. 


55 


1 


Jefferson  and  Adams,  lifting  their  conical  smmits  over 
the  shadowy  ridges  of  Mount  Moriah  —  of  which  our 
artist  gives  the  foregoing  truthful  sketch. 

About  five  miles  from  West  Bethel,  you  cross  Wild 
River,  by  a  bridge  250  feet  in  length. 

This  River  is  a  child  of  the  mountains  —  at  times 
fierce,  imr  ;tuous,  and  shadowy  as  the  storms  that 
howl  around  the  bald  heads  of  its  parents,  and  bear- 
ing down  everything  that  comes  in  its  path:  then 
again,  when  subdued  by  long  summer  calms,  mur- 
muring gently  in  consonance  with  the  breezy  rustle  of 
the  trees  whose  branches  depend  over  it.  An  hour's 
time  may  swell  it  into  a  headlong  torrent,  an  hour  may 
reduce  it  to  a  brook  that  a  child  might  ford  without 
fear. 

This  vicinage  is  rife  with  mementos  of  the  Indian 
wars.  One  of  the  last  acts  of  the  aborigines,  ere 
their  strength  was  forever  broken,  was  an  onset  on  the 
defenceless  village  of  Bethel,  made  by  a  pariy  of  the 
St.  Francis  tribe,  who  had  followed  down  the  State 
line  from  Canada.  They  carried  away  f^aptives,  a 
man  named  Pettengill,  ang[ther  Sager,  and  two  by  the 
name  of  Clark. 

Pettengill  and  one  of  the  Clarks,  after  proceeding 
a  few  miles,  were  unable,  through  lameness,  to  go  on, 
and  the  savages  finally  consented  to  their  return, 
advising  them  to  keep  to  the  same  trail  they  had  fol- 
lowed up,  pretending  that  there  were  hostile  scouts  on 
all  others.  Clarke,  who  was  well  acquainted  with  the 
Indian  character,  suspected  treachery  in  this  apparent 
solicitude  for  their  safety,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  out 
of  sight,  struck  into  the  woods,  and  swimming  the 
Androscoggin,  passed  'down  the  opposite  side  with 
6 


t 
14 


'ft 


56 


POUTLAN'D,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AM) 


safety.  During  his  lonely  tramj)  he  heard  the  report 
of  the  gun  which  proved  the  death  note  of  his  friend, 
who  taking  the  path  designated,  was  followed  back 
by  the  savages  and  shot  dead. 

The  mutilated  body  of  poor  Pettengill  was  subse- 
quently found,  and  buried  on  the  bank  of  the  Wild 
River,  just  by  the  bridge,  which  is  admirably  repre- 
sented in  the  sketch  on  the  following  page. 

Shaggy  and  rude  in  the  extreme  are  the  bluffs 
which  succeed  on  the  view,  bolstering  summits  hazy 
from  their  height,  und  walling  in  the  river  with  which 
the  rail  road  still  claims  companionship,  so  as  to  leave 
but  a  strip  of  arable  land  on  its  confines,  which  strip, 
however,  does  not  want  for  hardy  men  to  cultivate  it. 

We  next  find  ourselves  approaching 

QILEAD    STATION, 

From  Portland  80  miles,  from  the  Mountain  Station  House  11  miles,  from 

Montreal  212  miles. 

Hayward  says  that  "  the  chief  part  of  this  town- 
ship is  only  fit  for  grazing,  and  a  look  at  the  alpine 
steeps  adjacent,  will  readily  induce  the  traveler  to 
conform  to  this  opinion. 

A  mile  or  so  above  this  station  the  track  crosses  the 
boundary  between  Maine  and  Nev/  Hampshire.  A 
monument  designates  the  line,  and  it  is  further  mark- 
».  ^  by  a  board  fence  running  nearly  at  a  right  angle 
with  the  road,  near  an  orchard. 

Here  bidding  adieu  to  the  Pine  Tree  State,  in  a 
few  minutes  we  find  ourselves  at 

SHELBURNE, 
FroiQ   Portland  66  miles,  from  Mountain  House  5  miles,  from  Montreal  20 

miles. 

Higher  and  still  more  rugged  grow  the  mountains. 


M 


S-'f 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


6f 


as  the  jubilant  locomotive  rashes  onward,  until  the 
stem,  bare  heights  of  Mounts  Washington,  Jefferson, 
and  Adams,  burst  upon  the  view  from  behind  a  wood- 
ed ridge  of  Mount  Moriah. 


Mounts  Washington,  JeiTerson,  and  Adams,  from  Qilead. 

For  the  next  four  or  five  miles,  till  you  arrive  with- 
in a  hundred  rods  of  the  station  house  at  Goiham, 
these  lofty  summits  remain  constantly  in  view.  There 
they  tower,  in  storm  and  sunshine,  bathed  in  thunder 
clouds,  or  soaring  sharp  and  clean  in  the  cloudless  sum- 
mer noon,  always  sombre,  stern  and  exclusive. 

Just  after  leaving  the  station  house,  the  cars  pass 
near  a  high  and  i)recipitous  slide  or  bluff,  called  Gran- 
ny Staiibiiid's  Ledge.  An  immense  granite  boulder, 
many  thousand  tons  in  weight,  a  great  portion  of 
which  has  been  blown  to  pieces  and  used  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  rail  road,  formerly  rested  on  a  shelf 
of  the  ledge. 

Under  this  rock,  it  is  said,  an  aged  matron  named 
Starbird,  who  supplied  the  place  of  physician  to  the 
0* 


m 


ill 


60 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


I- JJ 


section,  long  time  ago  found  refuge  during  one  of  the 
wildest  storms  that  ever  smote  the  mountains. 

She  was  on  her  way  on  horseback  alone,  to  visit  a 
patient,  where  her  presence  was  tliouglit  to  be  indis- 
pensible,  so  the  story  goes,  when  night  and  storm  over- 
took her;  and,  bewildered  by  the  pelting  rain,  she 
was  glad  to  avail  herself  of  such  shelter  as  the  rock 
could  afford.  House  there  was  none  for  miles,  and 
here  she  remained  cowering  all  the  long  night  with  a 
fearful  chorus  confusing  her  ear — the  rushing  of  the 
great  rain  through  the  darkness,  the  voice  of  the  count- 
less streams  that  flooded  every  cliff  and  ravine,  the 
wail  of  the  great  trees  on  the  ridges  as  they  writhed 
and  struggled  and  swayed  in  the  merciless  grasp  of 
the  gale,  and  the  oft  repeated  howl  of  the  shivering 
wolf  driven  from  his  lair  by  the  incursions  of  the 
storm,  commingled  with  the  hoarse  boom  of  the  swol- 
len river  that  made  the  very  earth  tremble. 

The  laggard  morning  broke  at  last  above  the  hills, 
but  it  brc eight  no  cheer  to  that  "weary  auld  matron." 
Many  a  noble  forest  giant  lay  shattered  on  the  accliv- 
ities about  her ;  the  torrents  still  i)oured  their  turbid 
floods,  and  filling  the  whole  valley  like  a  sea,  the  river 
slid  onward,  grinding  and  crashing,  booming  and  ter- 
riffic,  with  its  debris  of  trees  and  timber,  rocks  and 
gravel:  nor  was  it  till  noon,  when  the  clouds  retired 
to  the  higher  peaks,  the  sun  shone  out,  and  the  waters 
began  to  assuage  from  off  the  face  of  the  earth,  that 
she  was  able  to  resume  her  journey. 

Our  limited  information  in  regard  to  the  matter,  does 
not  allow  us  to  state  whether  the  patient  was  old  or 
young,  grave  or  gay,  homely  oi  lovely,  or  whethei-  the 
skill  of  the  doctress  was  successful  in  alleviating  the 


g> 


ill 


s 


\{i:  i 


a:^ 


m 


mal 

the 

tem 

at! 

be, 

ny 


! 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


63 


malady.  She  believed  in  her  own  superior  ability  in 
the  healing  art,  and  nothing  but  her  kindness  of  heart 
tempted  her  abroad  on  the  mission  of  mercy  with  such 
a  threatening  aspect  in  the  sky.  However  this  may 
be,  the  place  has  ever  since  been  designated  as  Gran- 
ny Starbird's  Ledge  I 

Continuing  to  skirt  the  base  of  Mount  Moriah,  with 
the  glassy  river  on  your  right,  a  curve  in  the  road  sud- 
denly brings  you  in  sight  of  the  point  where  all  trav- 
elers intent  on  exploring  the  wonders  of  the  moun- 
tains debark,  the   Station   House,   Gorham,  otherwise 

called 

THE   ALPINE    HOUSE, 

From  Portland  91  miles,  from  Montreal  201  miles. 

Here,  perchance,  you  are  greeted  with  the  scenes 
which  usually  attend  an  arrival  at  a  fashionable  resort 
—  ladies  in  their  sun  bonnets  gliding  to  and  fro,  anx- 
ious to  see  the  new  comers,  gentlemen  under  curiously 
shaped  hats  and  wreaths  of  cigar  smoke,  lounging 
prominently  against  pillar  and  post  as  anxious  to  show 
their  indifference ;  hurrying  waiters  bumping  trunks 
and  boxes  against  the  elbows  of  the  promiscuous 
crowd  in  the  hall,  &c. 

But  barring  contingencies,  you  are  immediately 
shown  to  a  neat  and  airy  room,  and  having  adjusted 
the  outer  man,  the  next  thing  is  to  look  about  the 
house.  You  find  it  a  noble  edifice,  three  stories  in 
height,  and  one  hundred  feet  front  by  fifty  in  width, 
with  an  ell  of  about  the  same  dimensions.  A  hand- 
some piazza  along  the  front  and  two  ends,  gives  a  fin- 
ish to  the  building,  while  it  affords  a  pleasant  walk, 
where  visitors  may  enjoy  the  mountain  air  and  scenery. 

Within,  you  find  broad  and  lofty  halls,  and  ample 


s  f 


' '  1.1 


;    1  ■ 

J 


G4 


PORTLAND,    WIHTR    MOUNTAINS    AND 


parlors,  sitting  and  withdrawing  rooms,  fitted  and  fur- 
nished with  corresponding  elegance — a  noble  dining 
room,  eighty  feet  by  thirty,  and  sleeping  rooms  suffi- 
cient to  accommodate  two  hundred  and  fifty  persons. 

By  this  time  you  probably  begin  to  think  of  dinner, 
the  sudden  transition  from  the  atmosphere  of  the 
ocean  to  the  bracing  air  of  the  mountains  being  a  keen 
whetter  of  the  appetite.  On  this  score,  you  could  not 
submit  your  case  to  more  considerate  persons  than  the 
landlord  and  landlady,  Mr.  Hitchcock  and  Mrs.  Hayes. 

We  are  not  sure  but  that  the  mass  of  travelers 
would  respond  to  the  exclamation  of  a  fellow  tourist, 
that  about  the  pleasantest  feature  in  a  day's  travel,  is 
the  dinner  hour.  And  certainly  to  escaps  from  the 
fervor  of  a  July  or  August  sun  to  tables  nicely  spread 
with  every  variety  of  viand  that  your  nicest  metropol- 
itan hotel  can  boast,  and  some  things  that  such  cannot 
boast,  the  delicately  flavored  trout  of  the  mountain 
rivulet  for  instance,  is  very  apt  to  produce  that  com- 
placent state  of  mind  which  disposes  one  to  the  en- 
joyment of  the  intellectual. 

Dinner  over,  unless  you  prefer  for  company  the  fan- 
cies that  hover  around  a  cigar,  in  the  smoking  room, 
let's  stroll  under  the  portico.  You  find  yourself  in  the 
centre  of  a  broad  level  or  table  land,  closed  up  by 
mountains  on  all  sides,  a  wonderful  depression  tlirough 
which  the  Androscoggin  makes  the  passage  of  the 
hills,  the  foundations  of  the  hotel  being  but  802  feet 
above  tide  water  at  Portland. 

That  titanic  elevation,  whoso  summit  severs  the  sky 
on  the  left,  is  Mount  Moriah,  the  ascent  of  which  is 
the  grand  aim  of  all  new  comers.  It  was  so  named 
by  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  tlie  region,  because   its 


E 

s 

t 


iir- 


|ing 
iffi. 

ler. 


len 


the 

res. 


'} 


% 


MONTREAL    KAIL    IlOAl)    GUIUK. 


G7 


shape  or  position  coincided  with  some  conception  le 
had  formed  of  its  scripture  namesake.  • 

The  nonchalant  elevation  looking  over  its  shoulder, 
next  Westerly,  from  its  singular  outlines,  is  called  the 
Imp,  and  the  more  distant  cone,  whose  ridges  sustain 
such  a  glorious  burden  of  forest,  commemorating  the 
name  of  a  veteran  hunter  who  captured  many  a  bear, 
wolf  and  moose,  among  its  glens  and  gorges,  is  called 
Carter  Mountain. 

The  summits  of  the  long  ridge  near  at  hand,  confin- 
ing the  valley  Westerly,  will  probably  acknowledge 
to  any  appropriate  name  you  may  be  disposed  to  give 
them,  as  they  have  none  of  their  own. 

In  the  rear  of  the  house,  is  the  Androscoggin  cours- 
ing along  the  base  of  the  mural  acclivities  which 
bound  the  view  to  the  North  Eastward.  One  of  these 
massive  piles  of  granite  is  called  Mt.  Hayes,  in  honor 
of  the  landlady  of  the  hotel. 

There  are  many  places  in  the  neighborhood  inviting 
to  a  ramble.  One  of  these  is  an  elevated  plateau  of 
land,  about  half  a  mile  down  the  road,  called  Prospect 
Hill,  from  which  we  have  a  full  view  of  Mt.  Wash- 
ington. Here,  too,  a  broad  reach  of  the  Androscoggin 
valley,  rich  in  green  fields,  woods  and  waters,  charms 
the  eye  with  its  beauty. 

Another  is  the  picturesque  ruins  of  an  old  saw  mill 
near  the  Peabody  River,  scarcely  gunshot  distant  from 
the  house.  It  stands  alone,  "  high  and  dry,"  the  river 
two  or  three  years  ago  during  a  freshet,  having  taken 
a  fancy  to  explore  a  new  channel.  The  compact  bed 
of  small  granite  chips  and  boulders  which  surround  it 
is  a  sample  of  macadamising  such  as  is  often  worked 
by  the  torrents  in  their  autumnal  freaks,  or  when  loos- 
ed from  the  thrnwl  of  winter. 


U 


mi 


f 


m 


!' 

7  ' 


»*1 


63 


roUTLAMi.    WIllTfc:     MOUNTAIN'S    AND 


The  pot  holes  or  circular  cisterns  worn  by  the  action 
of  the  water  in  the  rock  bed  of  a  small  stream  called 
Pea  Brook,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  house, 
are  deserving  likewise  of  attention. 

A  stroll  by  the  banks  of  the  river  may  pass  off  an 
hour  very  pleasantly.  The  utilitarian  spirit  of  the  age 
has  not  thus  far  infringed  upon  the  aspect  of  seclusion 
with  which  Nature  has  invested  the  portion  of  it  con- 
tiguous to  the  hotel  grounds,  but  it  comes  sweeping 
down  free  and  wide,  swinging  around  each  point,  and 
exploring  every  nook  and  inlet,  its  outcirling  wavelets 
as  they  pass  along  the  shore  turning  up  their  lips  as  if 
to  steal  kisses  from  the  little  blue  and  white  star  flow- 
ers that  cluster  to  its  brink. 

"  And  pure  are  its  waters,  i't3  shallows  bright 
With  shining  pebbles  and  sparkles  of  light, 
And  clear  are  the  depths  where  the  ripples  play 
And  dimples  deepen,  and  whirl  away." 

And  how  perfectly,  under  the  bold  bluffs  of  the  op- 
posite mountain  ridge  are  the  trees,  the  slopes,  and 
the  clouds  floating  in  the  depths  of  the  sky,  mirrored 
on  the  shining  element. 

A  hundred  rods  or  so  further  down,  is  an  elevated 
section  of  table  land,  terminating  in  an  abrupt  descent 
of  fifty  feet  towards  the  river,  where  opens  a  romantic 
prospect  of  the  noble  stream,  including  the  rips  or 
rapids,  whore  the  impetuous  Peabody  makes  in. 

An  excursion  to 

RANDOLPH    HILL, 

Some  three  miles  distant,  on  the  road  to  Lancaster, 
discovers  to  the  tourist  most  delightful  scenery,  and 
one  gets  views  thence  of  Mis.  Adams,  Madison  and 


Action 
Nled 
foiise, 


ffan 


^ge 


•iff 


\i^. 


■f 


Mi 


;!l 


MONTREAL.    KAIL    KOAD    «;UII)t:. 


71 


Jcflcrson,  from  base  to  summit,  which  leaves  on  the 
mind  an  abiding  impression  of  their  hugeness  and 
subhmily.  Especially  when  the  quietude  of  evening 
is  settling  down  upon  their  woods  and  giens,  and  the 
rifted  ridges  are  brought  out  into  bold  relief  by  the 
slant  rays  of  the  sun,  *-iust  their  grand  appearance 
strike  the  beholder,  and  some  individuals  give  this 
point  of  view  of  the  loftier  summits  a  preference  over 
every  other. 

BERLIN    FALLS. 

A  drive  to  this  interesting  locality,  some  six  miles 
above  the   Station  House,  should  by  no  means  be 


Berlia  Falls. 

omitted.  Here  the  whole  volume  of  the  Androscog- 
gin's waters  is  poured  through  a  rocky  defile  scarcely 
more  than  fifty  feet  in  width  —  descending  in  the 
space  of  a  hundred  yards  nearly  twice  as  many  feet. 
The  Androscoggin,  it  will  be  recollected,  is  the  only 
outlet  to  the  TJmbagog  chain  of  lakes.     In  its  pas- 


m 


III; 


,•1;" 


'■:¥! 


m 


si 


r,i 


POllTI.AM).     WJllTIi    ,\I(nMAlNS    AN'D 


sage  thence  it  receives  the  waters  of  tlie  Magaliu- 
way,  Diamond  and  Clear  rivers,  besides  several 
streams  of  minor  importance,  so  that  at  this  point  it 
is  scarcely  inferior  in  volume  to  the  Connecticut  at 
Northumberland.  Seething  and  i)lunging,  and  tortur- 
ing into  billows  of  snowy  foam,  it  rushes  down  the 
narrow  race  — 

''  Rapid  as  the  light. 
The  flashing  mass  foams,  shaking  the  abyss, 

presenting  a  picture  which  our  artist  has  delineated 
with  much  truth  in  the  foregoing  sketch. 

From  the  wooden  foot  bridge  thrown  across  the 
chasm  one  may  obtain  a  fine  view  not  only  of  the 
falls,  but  up  and  down  the  river.  This  bridge  consists 
merely  of  two  logs  thrown  from  the  shore  to  the  rocky 
island  that  forms  the  neither  side  of  the  defile,  with  a 
board  platform  laid  upon  them.  When  about  to  be 
put  up,  it  was  a  wonder  to  some  how  the  logs  could 
be  extended  across  the  chasm,  but  the  mystery  was 
soon  solved.  The  i)erson  who  had  the  matter  in  hand 
threw  a  couple  of  bitch  poles  across  the  dizzy  gulf, 
and  by  his  direction  his  two  sons,  mere  lads,  ran  over 
on  them,  trusting  to  the  momentum  gained  in  a  start 
from  a  point  some  distance  back,  to  steady  them  in 
the  seemingly  perilous  adventure,  and  by  their  assist- 
ance, with  the  superior  power  exerted  from  the  shore, 
the  structure  M  "  .  got  into  place.  Looking  down  from 
the  bridge  upok  the  rushing  vortex  thirty  feet  below, 
it  makes  one  shudder  to  think  of  such  a  feat. 

In  the  vicinity  of  these  falls  also,  may  be  had  a 
grand  view  of  the  Northerly  slopes  of  the  mountains. 
Towering  peak  above  peak  and  ridge  above  ridge  in 


MONTUEAL    RAH.    ROAD    GUIDE. 


T.i 


alpine  array,  tlio  mighty  piles  frown  n|)oii  tlio  world 
about  thoni  with  an  enilr.ittlcd  ^^loom  wliicli  tli(>  nio- 
ridean  siiii  can  scarcely  dissipate. 


Tlio  White  Mountulns  from  Berlin  Falls. 

But  let  us  return  to  the  Al])inc  House. 

Evening'  settles  over  the  mountains.  Every  hour 
of  the  day  they  present  a  new  aspect,  a  varying  hue 
and  shade  puzzling  to  the  beholder,  but  they  never 
show  to  better  ellect  than  when,  with  the  vallies  and 
ravines  below  obscured  by  twilight, 

'  Their  lone  summits  cast 
The  sunken  day  light  far  through  the  airial  waste." 

Night  comes  on  slowly  and  envelopes  the  steeps  in 
her  sable  mantle  ;  and  you  turn  away,  perhaps  to  join 
the  dancers  in  the  hall,  or  the  musical  crowd  around 
the  piano ;  or  if  it  suits  yon  better,  seek  your  pillow, 
and  arc  lulled  to  slumber  by  the  spirit-voice  of  the 
mountain  wind. 
7* 


t:i' 


r 


;r| 


74 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAIN    AND 


With  the  morrow  morning  the  ponies  arc  brought 
out,  and  ho  !  for  the  ascent  of  Mount  Moviah  I  By 
all  means  make  the  ascent,  and  you  will  be  fully 
compensated  for  your  trouble  in  the  far,  free,  glorious 
prospects  which  the  summit  overlooks.  To  our  mind, 
there  is  not  a  mountain  of  the  group  that  is  so  elal)o- 
rate  an  expositor  of  the  scenery  of  the  region.  But 
you  can  judge  for  yourself. 

Getting  away  from  the  house,  probably  witli  a  few 
jokes  at  the  expense  of  your  rough  looking  cavalcade, 
you  make  a  detour  to  the  right,  and  soon  find  yourself 
pressing  up  the  rugged  bridle  path  in  the  twilight  of 
the  thick  forest.  We  will  not  aver  that  the  mountain 
air  inspires  to  courage  and  quickens  the  animal  spirits, 
but  we  never  knew  of  a  cavalcade  making  the  ascent 
who  were  not  full  of  good  humor  and  disposed  to  re- 
lieve the  difficulties  of  the  way  with  joke,  shout  and 
banter  —  and  even  the  ladies  plunge  into  the  ravines, 
urge  up  the  stee})s,  and  cross  the  spiteful  cascades 
that  sometimes  come  leaping  down  the  glens,  with 
the  nonchalance  that  would  mark  them  in  a  morning 
stroll  amidst  the  crowds  of  the  city. 

There  are  several  points  in  the  progress  up,  from 
which  fine  views  may  be  obtained  —  views  of  the  far 
valley  of  the  Androscoggin,  and  the  silvery  river  wind- 
ing hither  and  yon  as  if  at  a  loss  where  to  find  a 
passage  out  —  views  of  the  mountains  to  the  East- 
ward crowding  down  tlie  horizon,  with  here  and  there 
some  rugged  titan  towering  above  his  fellows  as  if 
conscious  of  his  supremacy,  views  of  the  scathed, 
shattered  and  storm -bleached  crags  of  the  noighoring 
hills  with  the  mighty  forests  which  cling  around  them. 

And,  reaching  the   summit,  if  you  are  not  gratified 


:krs. 


MONTRRAL    RAIL    ROAD    OIJIDK. 


ITi 


kilt 

fully 
lions 

ind, 
libo- 

But 


with  the  wide  prospects  that  thence  present  them- 
selves, you  may  well  have  reason  to  suspect  that 
there  is  an  important  feature  lacking  in  your  com- 
position. 

Northerly,  often  with  the  clouds  trailing  over  their 
tops  are  the  steeps  that  emhosom  the  lone  waters  of 
the  Umbagog  lakes  —  including  Saddleback  and  far- 
ther to  the  Eastward  Bald  Mountain  in  Carthage,  and 
the  Blue  Mountains  in  Temple  and  Avon ;  while 
more  distant.  dc})loy  a  scries  of  cloud  like  eminences, 
among  which  are  Mount  Abraham  near  Kingficld  in 
Franklin  County,  and  still  farther  Mount  Bigelow, 
(supposed)  in  the  third  range  of  townships,  under 
which  flows  Dead  River.  Easterly  stretches  the  val- 
ley of  the  Androscoggin,  lined  for  many  a  mile  by  the 
track  of  the  rail  road,  with  the  mountains  that  draw 
themselves  up  on  either  side  as  if  to  give  it  i)assage, 
and  dark  ridges  beyond  reaching  out  towards  the  dis- 
tant ocean.  South  Easterly,  is  an  extended  track  of 
more  level  country,  interspersed  with  shining  lakes 
and  streams,  ff  ling  upon  the  sight,  till  it  commingles 
with  the  ocean  oyond  Portland ;  and  when  the  atmos- 
phere is  clear,  with  a  good  glass,  the  city  of  Portland 
may  be  distinctly  seen.  More  to  the  Southward  are 
Pleasant  Mountain  and  the  mountains  of  Waterford 
amidst  the  shadowy  vallies  of  which,  here  and  there 
you  catch  views  of  lakes,  rivers  and  ponds,  shining 
like  j)olished  steel ;  and  farther  to  the  right  are  the 
summits  which  environ  Lake  Winnipisseogee,  and  a 
portion  of  the  lake  itself;  while  on  the  West,  and 
comparativx:;iy  close  at  hand,  with  all  their  shaggy 
steeps  and  dark  ravines,  in  full  view,  rise  Mount 
Washington  and  the  higher  peaks  of  the  group,  silent 


;  ;i  ,• 


I 


ii 


76 


FORTLANl),    WHITE    MOUA'TAINS    AND 


and  sombre,  and  intrenched  as  it  were  in  the  dignity 
of  their  "  mountain  majesty  "  —  all  beyond,  so  far  as 
eye  sight  is  concerned,  being  terra  incognita. 

But  the  novelty  of  these  scenes  cannot  be  impres- 
sed on  the  mind  of  the  reader  by  tropes  and  similes. 

Persons  judge  of  objects  through  different  media, 
and  the  impress  of  oceanic  prospects,  witnessed  from 
a  point  onalevel  Vvitli  the  clouds,  is  singidarly  diverse 
in  different  people  I  All  we  have  to  say,  patient  fel- 
low traveler  is,  that  we  do  not  hold  you  responsible 
for  ours  —  an  idea  of  which  you  may  get  in  these 
pages.  In  the  descent,  you  have  also  many  fine  views 
np  and  down  the  river. 


Mount  Moriah  from  Lur>  's. 

One  of  the  best  places  for  contcm])lating  Mount 
Moriah,  in  all  its  hug-j  bulk  is  oji  Ihe  Lary  farm, 
near  tlio  ANDROscoGGI^f  HoirsE,  a  mile  or  so  up  from 
the  Station  House  — and  it  was  at  this  [)oint  that  our 
artist  took  the  above  spiritctl  sketch. 


I 


JL 


MOXTHKAr.    IIAIL    llOAD     <;i-!I)K. 


77 


pres- 

iiiles. 
iedia, 
from 

|t  fel- 
isible 
hese 
lews 


Having  seen  the  various  objects  and  points  of  in- 
terest, in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Station  House,  the 
tourist  will  probably  begin  to  think  of  becoming  better 
acquainted  with  the  loftier  summitL^  of  the  mountain 
range.  For  this  pur])ose  his  best  course  is  to  pass  up 
the  valley  of  the  Peabody  River  to  the  Glen  House, 
which  is  immediately  under  Mount  Washington,  and 
in  the  midst  of  the  loftiest  summits  of  the  whole 
mountain  district. 

We  will  suppose  that  he  has  been  fortunate  in  ob- 
taining one  of  those  balmy  summer  mornings  such  as 
often  dawn  u])on  these  valhcs, 


"  A  dewy  morn, 
Witli  breath  all  incense,  and  with  cheek  all  bloom, 
Laughing  the  clouds  away  in  playful  scorn, 
And  glowing  into  day." 


)unt 
inn, 
rom 
our 


The  four  horse  wagon  dashes  up  to  the  door ;  and 
while  the  ladies,  in  their  bloomers  and  palm  leaf  hats, 
are  bestowing  themselves  on  the  seats,  and  the  beaux, 
who  covet  the  privilege  of  making  a  figure  in  the 
"fuss  generally"  which  attends  departure,  are  hand- 
ing them  in,  some  perhaps  would  like  to  start  on  a 
pied. 

Taking  a  turn  to  the  left  we  soon  plunge  into  the 
woods  and  strike  the  banks  of  the  foaming  Peabody, 
along  which  the  road  winds  till  it  reaches  the  Glen 
House.  The  air  is  exhilarating — the  shrubs  and  wild 
wood  flowers  are  sparkling  with  dew,  the  sweetly-sad 
notes  of  the  white  throated  finch  come  from  the  reces- 
ses of  the  woods  u})  the  steep  acclivities  —  and  the 
rush  of  the  jubilant  river  makes  the  heart  bound  in 
consonance   with   its   music.      Did  eye  ever  survey 


Rl 


I  ; 


I    i 


^   i- 


I     .-''■ 


7^^ 


rORTLAND,     WIllTl!;      .FOUNTAINS     AXI) 


finer  trees  than  the  gigantic  patriarchs  which  flank  our 
devious  way — was  ever  clearer  water  than  that  which 
shelves  and  slides,  curvets  and  sparkles  over  the  clean 
granite  rocks  which  form  the  hcd  of  the  Peahody? 
Here  is  freedom,  here  is  truth,  here  is  energy  I 

We  are  wending  towards  the  base  of  Carter  Moun- 
tain ;  the  rich  luxuriance  of  the  vast  forests  that  press 
up  its  sides  delights  every  eye.  But  a  turn  in  the  de- 
file has  hidden  it  from  sight ;  and  here  we  come  in 
view  of  the  loftier  and  more  rugged  cone  of  Mount 
Jefferson,  the  most  symmetrical  of  the  mountain  con- 
vocation. 

We  well  remember  the  first  time  we  traveled 
through  this  pass.  It  was  a  still,  dewy  summer  morn- 
ing, and  so  calm  that  the  scattered  particles  of  sun- 
light which  streamed  through  the  foliage  rested  just 
where  they  fell,  moveless  as  so  many  shining  pebbles. 
The  song  of  the  river  came  upon  tlie  car  with  vivid 
distinctness,  and  away  in  the  woods,  you  could  hear 
the  patter  of  the  bits  of  bark  which  a  company  of 
chicodees  w^ere  picking  from  the  trunks,  as  they  fell 
on  the  underbrush,  sounding  like  the  first  stealthy 
drops  of  a  shower.  Not  a  cloud  shadowed  the  moun- 
tain now  before  us,  and  whilst  contemplating  its  se- 
rene dignity,  signs  of  a  commotion  u})  among  the 
cliffs  caught  our  eye.  A  huge  rock  (loosened  from  its 
bed,  perhaps  by  the  levers  of  the  winter  frosts)  had 
fallen,  and  came  plunging  downwards.  We  could 
trace  its  progress  by  a  hue  of  whitish  smoke  or  dust 
that  floated  over  its  track,  and  could  occasionally  see 
it  in  some  tremendous  bound  above  the  trees,  whirl- 
ing with  the  velocity  of  a  cannon  ball.  No  sound 
reached  us  till  the  connnotion  had  ceased,  when  wc 


M-m-. 


\K  our 
liicli 

lody? 


loun- 
['ress 
de- 
iG  in 
fount 
con- 


p 


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m 


..     ^. 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


81 


distinctly  heard,  for  a  minute  or  more,  a  low,  crushing 
reverberation,  toiling  the  fate  of  many  a  noble  forest 
giant  torn  asunder  or  shattered  to  pieces. 

Proceeding  slov/ly  up  the  pass,  we  come  to  an  opon- 
iiiT  in  the  trees.  Here  agaiu  is  the  Peabody,  wash- 
ino-  the  foot  of  the  mountaiu,  and  Q.ir  up  you  may  see 
the  quarry  whence  the  rock  was  di  dodged,  and  wbicii 
those  vigorous  miners,  the  winter  colds  and  storms, 
have  worked  for  ages.  The  head  of  the  ravine  i.s 
fall  of  such.  Well  may  the  view  call,  forth  your  ex- 
ultant shouts  of  adniiratio'i.  ! 

Resuming  our  line  of  'ravel,  onward  wc  go 
"  Over  the  mountains,  Westward  ho  !  " 

And  here  we  have  a  more  full  view  of  Mount  Ad- 
ams, its  shoulder  braced  against  Jclferson  —  and 
Washington  looking  out  from  beyond,  a  head  taller 
than  all  the  others,  the  mountain  monarch  of  the 
North,  about  wliose  summit,  veiled  in  clouds  and 
darkness,  the  thunder  god  occasionally  holds  his  tur- 
bulent court.  The  old  mill  and  the  glassy  river  basin 
in  the  fore  ground,  were  objects  which  the  quick  (yc 
of  our  artist  was  ready  to  seize  upon  to  complete  a 
sketch  at  this  point,  for  which  sketch  see  preceding 
page. 

But  we  are  approacliing  the 

OLEN    HOIJSH, 

Seven  miles  from  the  Station  House,  and  the  gentle- 
manly landlord  stands  ready  to  help  you  to  alight  — 
whoa  ! 

This  likewis3,  is  a  new,  large  and  commodious 
liouse,  having  all  the  apphances  of  a  fishionable  lio- 
tel;  and  at  its  table  on.e  can  obtain  the  luxuries  of  ihe 
8 


Sllf 


'    !|   ' 


l:i  is! 


'    ■  ■'■■■     ?«f! 


H  ^<  >g 


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l'-,4?'iifij 


■  ~r:; 


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82 


PORTLANn,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


best  city  hotels.  It  stands  on  a  green  slope,  fachiff 
Mount  Washington,  with  the  live  highest  peaks  of 
the  range,  from  hase  to  summit,  in  full  sight. 

Near  hy,  the  Avater.s  of  the  Pcaljody  go  rollicking 
down  the  pass,  as  if  rejoiced  to  (.'Scape  from  the 
gloom  of  the  mountains  (affording  line  sjjort  for  the 
trout  fisher)  and  on  every  side  you  may  see 

"  Castled  rocks  stupendous  piled," 

''  Or  feci  the  freshness  of  the  growinj*  green 
That  waves  in  forest  tops,  and  smootlis  the  air." 

The  main  huilding  is  130  feet  in  length,  42  feet  in 
width,  and  four  stories  high.  A  grantl  portico  gives 
beauty  and  finish  to  the  princijial  entrance,  and  a  neat 
piazza  extends  on  either  hand  along  the  entire  front, 
and  across  the  ends  of  the  building,  surmounted  by  a 
balcony,  upon  which  the  second  story  windows  all 
open,  and  from  which  may  be  had  an  iminterrupted 
view  of  acclivities  reaching  to  the  clouds,  ■whose  up- 
rolliiig  forests  have  never  echoed  to  the  axe  of  the 
ivciedman. 

The  ir.'erior  of  the  building  is  on  a  scale  of  equal 
tspaciuUsnc'S,  A  broad  hall,  or  passage  way,  runs  en- 
tirely liirougli  it  on  the  lower  floor,  with  a  door  at  each 
end,  so  as  to  ensure  a  cool  draught  of  air  in  sultry 
weathev,  and  similar  passage  ways  divide  the  tiers  of 
rooms  on  each  of  the  other  floors.  The  dining  room 
is  a  noble  hall,  calculated  to  scat  two  hundred  persons 
—  and  the  withdrawing  rooms,  which  front  towards 
the  mo-.mtains  and  the  rushing  Peabody  river,  are 
spacious  and  airy,  and  exceedingly  pleasant. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  more  complete  ar- 
rangements for  the  accommodation  of  those  who  seek 


c. 


o 


lacing 
Iks  of 


ong 
the 
k  the 


I  f 


I 


'M 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


85 


the  mountain  air  or  scenery,  which  may  here  be  en- 
joyed in  their  fullest  extent. 

The  smooth  knoll  on  which  the  house  is  built  is  830 
feet  above  the  sills  of  the  Alpine  House,  or  1G32  feet 
above  tide  water  at  Portland. 

The  romantic  attractions  of  this  locality  —  glens 
and.  gorges,  streams,  torrents,  slides,  lakelets  and  wa- 
terfalls —  arc  unequalled  by  those  of  any  other  in  the 
mountain  region ;  while  many  of  the  steeps  and  ra- 
vines remain  yet  unexplored,  tempting  the  courage 
and  acti\'ity  of  the  adventurer. 

Our  first  business  cf  course  Avill  be  to  ascend 
Mount  Washington,  which  can  be  done  by  a  shorter 
if  not  an  easier  path,  from  this  point  than  from  any 
other.  An  early  start  is  desirable,  since  clouds  are 
more  likely  to  gather  on  the  summits  and  obstruct  the 
views  ill  the  after  jiart  of  the  day. 

Taking  a  turn  through  the  meadow,  and  crossing 
the  Peabody,  you  enter  the  forest,  and  do  not  emerge 
thence  until  you  get  at  least  half  way  up.  The 
growth  consists  of  birch,  beech,  hemlock  and  maple, 
interspersed  with  spruce,  fir,  and  the  mountain  ash, 
with  an  undergrowth  of  moosewood,  bear  berry,  whor- 
tleberry, brakes,  Sec. 

As  in  the  ascent  of  Mount  Moriah,  the  path  appears 
exceedingly  rough,  and  at  times  the  obstacles  in  the 
way  seem  insurmountable ;  but  the  horses  are  well 
trained,  and  thousands  make  the  ascent  yearly,  and 
the  first  accident  therefrom  has  not  yet  occurred. 

Here  you  mount  steep  ridges,  anon  file  around  pre- 
cipitous crags,  then  again  cross  deep  ravines  and 
rushing  torrents,  the  scenery   ever  changing,   while 

the  long  train  of  horses,  winding   through  the  twi- 

8* 


V)' 


j 


'  II 


m 


86 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAIN    AND 


light  gloom  of  the  trees,  present  a  picture  such  as  the 
writers  of  old  romance  in  their  tales  of  robbers  and 
banditti  delighted  to  describe. 

Emerging  from  the  wood,  you  mount  a  stupendous 
spur  of  rock  whose  bare  projections,    unclothed  by 
even  a  lichen,  have  been  l)leached  with  the  storms 
of  ages,  and  coming  to  a  halt,  you  are  more  than 
compensated   for  the    troubles    you    have    encoun- 
tered, by  the  view  which  presents  itself,  comprising 
the  remote  valley  of  the  Androscoggin  with  its  ribbon- 
like rail  track,  and  its  lateral  agglomerations  of  billowy 
mountains,   fading  on  the   eye  in   the  distance,  and 
immediately  balcw  you   the  deep  valley  of  the  Pea- 
body,  with  the   Glen  House  in  full  view.      Facing 
upwards  on  the  right  is  the  sharp  cone  of  Jefferson, 
and  on  the  left  the  shattered  crags  of  Washington, 
and  between  is   the   gloomy   depths  of  the  Great 
Gulf,  whose  fearful  precipices  have  rarely  if  ever 
been  descended. 

The  cavalcade  at  this  point,  can  be  seen  from  below, 
and  presents  a  singular  appearance.  The  horses  with 
their  riders,  do  not  seem  to  walk,  but  move  off  nois- 
less  and  mxysterious,  things  of  strange  shape,  and  it 
requires  no  great  draft  on  the  imagination  of  the  be- 
holder to  fancy  them  the  genii  of  the  hills  on  their 
spirit  rounds. 

But  our  guide  is  becoming  impatient  —  no  time  to 
linger  when  the  mountain  top,  yet  two  miles  distant, 
may  be  covered  with  clouds  ere  you  reach  it,  unless 
you  hasten  your  pace.  The  ladies  look  up  ;  we  are 
cut  off  j&om  the  lower  world  as  it  were  —  the  fierce 
prospect  is  almost  appalling.  Yet  difficulties  are 
boldly  faced  here  which  elsewhere  would  be  consid- 


MONTREAL  RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


87 


■the 
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by 

mis 

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i 


ered  insurmountable.  Or  rather  in  many  cases,  like 
the  moral  obstacles  we  encounter  in  life,  they  are  dif- 
ficulties more  in  aspect  than  reality,  and  need  but  be 
boldly  met  to  vanish. 

There  are  many  other  points  in  your  progress  up 
which  command  vast,  varied  and  beautiful  scenes  — 
one  particularly  which  looks  out  Northerly  far  along 
a  teeming  vista,  just  after  you  have  scrambled  up  a 
tortuous  path,  and  attained  a  level  spot  which  invites 
to  a  moment's  rest  for  your  panting  horses.  Immortali- 
ty of  reputation  would  be  the  due  of  the  painter  who 
could  transfer  the  vastitude  and  wild  beauties  of  that 
scene  to  the  canvass  —  the  rude  acclivity  on  which 
your  party  is  grouped,  as  parties  somewhat  fatigued 
will  naturally  group  themselves,  for  a  foreground ;  for 
the  medium  distance  the  mountain  on  the  right  with 
its  storm-blasted  trees,  its  ragged  escarpments  and 
floating  mists,  leaning  away  as  if  to  reveal  the  far, 
quiet  "  happy  valley"  for  perspective,  which  with  its 
smooth  fields,  its  woods  and  waters,  its  hazy  mountain 
confines,  fades  and  commingles  in  the  distance  with 
a  sky  whose  serene  summer  aspect,  perchance,  makes 
the  heart  glad. 

But  the  word  is  still  "  onward ; "  resuming  your 
march  and  toiling  slowly  over  the  broken  and  jagged 
masses  of  rock  which  cover  the  mountain  for  the  last 
three  quarters  of  a  mile,  you  at  last  stand  on  the  sum- 
rait  of  Mount  Washington. 

No  one  ever  described  the  ocean  so  as  to  give  a  true 
impression  of  it,  or  the  sea-like  extent  of  one  of  our 
western  prairies,  or  the  falls  of  Niagara  —  and  all  at- 
tempts to  impress  the  view,  in  a  clear  atmosphere, 
from  Mt,  Washington  on  others,  must  be  nearly  futile. 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(714)  872-4503 


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88 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


You  Stand  the  center  of  a  circle  of  country  two 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  diameter — high  above  all  I 

An  ocean  of  earth  billows,  misty  and  sombre,  reels 
away  to  the  far  horizon,  on  every  side,  an  ocean  which 
has,  as  it  were  by  "  stroke  of  the  enchanter's  wand," 
become  suddenly  and  forever  cong-calcd,  and  that  at  a 
moment  when  whirlwind  and  tempest  were  heaving 
it  into  gigantic  surges.  We  can  conceive  of  no  better 
comparison  than  the  waste,  the  melancholy,  tempest 
ridden  main,  frozen  in  the  midsi,  of  its  strength.  Sun- 
shine and  shadow  chase  each  other  over  the  silent 
waste,  light  and  darkness  fleck  its  surface ;  but  the 
prevailing  feature  is  one  of  shadow  and  gloom. 

Far  in  the  North  is  Moose  Head  Lake,  looking  like 
a  strip  of  burnished  silver  amidst  a  region  over  which 
the  shadows  of  night  have  fallen.  Tliere  too,  is  Mt. 
Kineo,  and  the  clejihantinc  summit  of  Katahdin 
crouching  beyond.  West^-rly  arc  the  Green  Mountains 
of  Vermont  rolling  along  the  outer  edge  of  the  circle 
like  the  humj)s  of  a  great  sea  serpent,  and  more  than 
a  hundred  miles  distant  to  the  South  West  is  Mount 
Monadnock,  peeiiing  over  the  intervening  ridges,  as  if 
playing  at  hide-and-go-seek  with  some  other  titan  a 
hundred  or  two  miles  off. 

Sebago  Lake  at  the  South  East,  and  Winnipisse- 
ogee  more  to  the  South,  are  also  visi])lc,  with  many 
other  lakes  and  ponds,  reduced  to  mere  specks,  glint- 
ing afar  like  diamonds,  in  the  sombre  waste  ;  and  the 
Androscoggin  and  Saco  seem  mere  silver  threads  in- 
extricably tangled  in  a  chaos  of  blue  ridges  and  earth 
billows.  Still  beyond,  at  the  termination  of  the  vast 
perspective,  wlien  the  atmo.sphere  is  free  from  haze, 
may  be  seen  the  ocean  off  Portland. 


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MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


01 


However,  it  is  not  always  that  you  have  a  clear  sky 
over  the  inouiitaius — as  often  as  otherwise  you  are  en- 
vironed by  clouds.  The  sun  may  shine  about  you,  it 
is  true,  but  all  below  may  be  a  driving  gulf  of  cloud 
and  shadow,  bounding  your  view,  very  likely,  to  a  few 
acres  of  jagged  and  disintegrated  rock,  with  the  long, 
low  building,  \vhich  for  other  reasons  than  its  altitude, 
has  attained  the  name  of  "tip  to])  house,"  nestled 
down  among  them,  as  if  cowering  from  the  bleak 
atmos})here. 

This  latter  feature  puts  us  in  mind  that  the  journey 
up  the  mountain  sharpens  the  n})j)etite  —  but  enter, 
and  you  will  find  an  aspect  of  comfort  even  here 
among  the  clouds,  and  your  wants  will  be  nicely  and 
amply  jirovided  for. 

Here  you  may  obtain  accommodations  for  spending 
the  night,  and  if  on  so  doing,  you  should  be  so  fortu- 
nate as  to  have  clear  weather  at  day  break  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  a  rich  reward  will  be  yours. 

In  this  case  leave  yom*  couch  early  —  go  out  on  the 
rocks,  (taking  the  precaution  to  don  all  the  clothing 
you  can  come  at,)  just  as  the  first  grey  streaks  of 
morning  begin  to  appear,  and  while  yet  the  stars, 
which  sparkle  with  a  brilliancy  unknown  to  the  val- 
lies  below,  continue  their  silent  watches — when  all 
below  is  involved  in  impenetrable  obscurity.  Amidst 
the  strange  solitude  of  the  sky  cavern  above  and 
about  you,  contemplate  the  re-creation  of  the  world. 

As  the  sky  reddens  in  the  east,  the  nearer  crags 
slowly  lift  themselves  from  the  gloom ;  then  the  for- 
ests far  below  are  emulous  to  shake  off  the  robe  of 
night.  The  outlines  of  the  more  distant  peaks  in  front, 
meanwhile  become  defined,   and  the  spectral  light 


h 


f, 


i; 


'It? 


♦'' 


'   '■! « \ 

It! 
If 


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V  •.it 


02 


PORTLANP,    WIIITr:    MOUNTAINS    AND 


steals  out  ii'rndiirilly  over  tlio  l)Oiin(l]ess  prospect 
Eastward,  aiul  fniutly  streaks  the  lines  and  ridges 
which  mark  the  boundaries  t)f  inimiuiTalile  plains, 
rallies  and  lakes.  The  sky  f^'rows  red  as  the  sun  ap- 
proaches the  horizon,  and  the  wide  earth  partakes  of 
the  mellow  hue.  ()1)J(m;Is  insensibly  become  more 
distinct,  until  as  the  sun  beuins  to  show  his  disc,  the 
line  of  the  far  oil'  ocean  i^^leams  like  fire,  and  every 
elevation  in  front  and  to  the  rii^ht  and  left,  crowding 
to  the  remote  horizon,  rejoices  in  his  welcome  smiles. 

Still  the  twilight  gloom  lingers  in  the  fathomless 
vallies  about  yon  —  and  the  mountains  at  the  West 
are  cold  and  grey;  but  with  the  rising  sun,  peak  after 
peak  is  illumined  as  with  fires  kindled  to  herald  the 
new  creation's  birth,  and  night  has  relincpiished  his 
dominion  to  his  co-ruler,  day. 

The  chief  summits  of  the  mountain  group  a.nd  all 
above  the  skirt  of  woods  that  clings  round  their  waists, 
are  Init  enormous  heaps  of  torn,  shattered,  jagged  and 
disintegrated  rocks  of  every  form  and  size.  These 
rocks  arc  a  sort  of  half  mixed  granite ;  or  to  speak 
more  scientifically,  a  micaceous  shist  passing  into 
gneiss  ;  and  hoary  with  untold  ages  of  storm,  or  black- 
ened with  the  crisp  liclicns  that  defy  the  most  in- 
tense cold,  they  present  an  ap})earance  of  indescrib- 
able desolation.  Although  not  properly  volcanic  in 
their  origin,  there  is  but  one  theory  by  whicn  you  can 
account  for  the  manner  in  which  these  debris  were 
uppiled ;  this  is  that  the  granite  undercrust  of  this 
section  of  the  globe  was  rent  to  atoms  and  hurled 
high  into  the  empyrean  by  the  explosion  of  pent  up 
gasses  —  perhaps  in  the  early  ages  of  creation  when 
the  fires  which  still  rage  in  the  interior  of  the  earth 


MONTREAL    nA:L    ROAD    GUIDE. 


03 


Ipect 
Mges 
jiiiiis, 
li  ap- 
^sof 
|]  110  re 
Uie 
f'VcMy 


had  not  relircd  so  far  from  its  surface.  Lying  cdgc- 
■vvise,  end  wise,  and  at  every  angle,  it  is  evident  tliat 
they  fell  as  you  now  see  them.  What  other  theory 
will  account  for  this  condition  of  things ;  unless,  in- 
deed, yen  adopt  the  train  of  thought  of  a  queer  look- 
ing old  gentleman  Avhom  we  met  absorhed  in  a  brown 
study  on  the  })innacle  of  Washington,  and  with  him 
exclaim,  "  What  a  monstrous  waste  of  labor  it  must 
have  been  to  bring  all  these  big  lumps  of  rock  up 
here!" 

By  the  early  explorers  of  this  region  these  moun- 
tains were  called  the  Crystal  i!Zi7/5;  and  extravagan': 
stories  were  told  of  the  diamonds,  carbuncles  and 
other  glittering  stones  with  which  they  abounded  ;  but 
the  region  is  anything  but  rich  in  mineral  wealth. 
The  nearest  approach  to  the  "  diamonds"  are  the  ag- 
glomerated masses  of  quartz  crystals  which  are  found 
in  some  localities.  Garnets,  emerald,  tourmaline, 
jasper,  and  iron  pyrites  arc  also  found  in  less  abun- 
dance ;  and  it  may  be  that  as  the  mountains  become 
more  fully  explored,  a  few  other  varieties  may  be  ad- 
ded to  the  catalogue  of  their  minerals. 

Some  of  the  early  explorers  told  wonderful  tales  of 
the  savage  beasts  that  infested  the  ravines  and  val- 
lies  —  of  "  grate  lyons  whose  roaring  in  the  nyte" 
deprived  them  of  sleep — and  of  terrific  dangers  which 
they  encountered  in  scaling  precipices,  and  fording 
rivers. 

The  Indians,  gave  still  more  extravagant  accounts 
of  the  wonders  of  the  mountains.  From  certain  of 
the  precipices,  according  to  their  descriptions,  depend- 
ed immense  carbuncles,  which,  in  the  darkness  of 
the  night  gleamed  afar  with  supernatural  brilliancy. 
9 


94 


roilTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


Some  of  thoir  moro  fonvloss  wnrriors  lincl  discliarged 
arrows  and  niuskels  at  those  glitlorin"-  sliilactites,  but 
nialf(jrtunc  immoclialoly  Ibllowed  the  perpclnitors  of 
siicl)  sncrileiiC'.as  it  was  deemed — and  Iwo  or  three  of 
their  imndier  wlio  bad  essayed  to  eJiud)  up  iind  ol)tain 
the  shininji;  treasures  were  never  heard  of  alterwartls! 

Indeed  the  savajires  faneied  the  niouutaiu  siuuuiits 
to  be  the  abodes  of  invisil)le  spirits  who  I'ontrolled 
the  winds  and  tempests;  and  at  times  they  olfered 
sacrifices  1'"  Mvorshijjjx-d  these  mysterious  l)eings. 
Similar  si.  ■(  itions  also  obtained  amonj^  the  more 
ignorant  wintes;  and  there  are  those  at  the  present 
day.  who  cling  to  a  beliel"  in  these  supernatural  agen- 
cies, and  tell  of  tbe  wonderfid  exi)erienee  of  .^eir 
ancestors  in  regard  to  them. 

Belknaj)  says,  that  an  ancient  tradition  prevailed 
among  tbe  savages  tbat  a  deluge  once  overs] iread  the 
land,  -and  destroyed  every  buman  l)eing  except  a  sin- 
gle sacbem  andhis  scjuaw,  wbo,  perhaps  assisted  l)y  the 
s])irits  of  the  winds,  climbed  to  tbe  toj)  of  tbe  liigbest 
peak,  and  thus  preserved  the  race  from  extermination. 

The  Indian  name  for  tbe  mountains  was  IVauni- 
beket  Mctlma,  signifying  mountains  of  tbe  Snowy 
Foreheads.  A  more  appropriate  name  could  not  have 
been  selected,  for  their  "  foreheads"  arc  white  with 
snow  nine  months  in  the  year.  This  in  part  may  ac- 
count for  the  preference  which  has  been  given  to  their 
present  name  over  the  more  poetical  one  of  Crystal 
Hills. 

Mount  Washington  having  been  disposed  of,  the 
tourist  will  naturally  inquire  for  other  remarkable  fea- 
tures of  the  vicinage;  and  none  more  deserve  his  at- 
tention than  the  two  wild  torrents,  which  have  been 


<l 


-'Uf;*^ 


•rged 
h,  but 
•rs  of 

|ieeof 

l>tain 

^iircls  I 

|niiiits 

I  rolled 

'(-■red 

h'ing-s. 

more 

•csent 

icn- 

'leir 


Crystal  Cascade. 


4 


i-^\ 


,n 


"J 


'i'\ 


1   ■ 

'  i 


4  .i 

'  ":t 

■j-   ;{ 


|l 


MONTREAT.    n.VIT,    ROAD    GUIDF: 


07 


named  tho  Crystal  Cascadr  and  CJi.en  Ellis  Fall. 
Ovviiiii;  to  the  Eustoru  (Icclivitios  of  the  inomitains 
bciiiii:  roinolc  uiul  (hlliciih  of  access  from  the  lines  of 
travel,  proviiuis  to  the  oi)euiiii2;  of  the  Allii.'itic  aiul  8t. 
Lawrence  Rjiil  Road,  tliesc  heaiitifiil  objects,  m  com- 
mon with  many  t)lher  of  their  wihh\st  features,  were 
almost  unknown  •  and  they  })ossess  all  the  charms  of 
novelty. 

THE    CRYSTAI.    C'ASCADK 

Is  a  gift  of  Mount  Washington,  flung  down  upon 
the  vallies  to  enliven  the  verdure,  and  rejoice  with  its 
music  the  echoes  of  the  woods,  rocks  and  glens.  Its 
location  is  a  secluded  ravine  about  a  hundred  rods  to 
the  right  of  the  road  which  now  connects  the  great 
routes  of  travel  East  and  West  of  the  mountains, 
and  about  three  miles  from  the  Glen  House. 

The  way  from  the  Glen  House  down,  developes 
scenery  as  romantic  as  any  among  the  mountain  pas- 
ses; primitive  forests  into  whose  dank  recesses  human 
footstei)s  have  seldom  found  their  way;  deep,  rocky 
gullies,  that  send  out  the  sound  of  rushing  waters, 
frowning  clilfs  that  have  shaken  from  their  shoulders 
into  the  vallies  below  masses  of  rock  of  every  size 
and  shape  ;  scenes  whose  wildness  is  diversified  with 
green  nooks  and  hollows,  where  the  fire  weed,  the  wild 
aster,  and  ei)ilobium  display  their  petals  to  the  wel- 
come sun,  or  plume  themselves  in  the  mountain  winds. 

The  stream  which  feeds  the  cascade  takes  its  rise 
up  among  the  heights  of  Mount  Washington,  and  af- 
ter winding  its  way  througli  unexplored  glens  and  for- 
ests, here  finds  its  w^ay  down  into  regions  where  day 
can  look  upon  it,  through  a  rent  in  the  ragged  blufT, 
9* 


**n 


rnnri-ANrt.  whitr  mocntains  and 


which  n))penrs  as  though  it  wcro  iniidu  there  on  pur- 
post'  fortlie  wiitor  to  oscapo. 

Tiic  whole  height  of  the  fhll  is  perhaps  eighty  Coot; 
the  water,  however,  does  not  come  in  an  iiiihrokeu 
sheet  tk)wn,  hut  steps  froiu  slieif  to  shell'.  Hinging 
showers  of  diamond  dust  on  the  impending  foliage, 
until  (hr.illy  it  takes  a  long  jump  into  a  dcej)  hasin 
with  a  ringing  noise,  as  if  expressive  of  satisfaction 
thai  it  has  got  down  into  a  district  where  it  can  pursue 
its  rejoicing  course  with  greater  ease. 

Such  is  the  central  jiortion  of  the  cascade.  Over 
other  projections  of  the  clilli  which  are  clothed  with 
richly  shaded  green  mosses,  the  inn)ulsive  stream  oc- 
casionally shoots  in  glassy  threads,  tortuous  in  their 
descent  as  the  roots  of  some  giant  tree,  a  lit[uid  han- 
yan.  Hemlock  and  fir,  and  the  ever  tremulous  hirch, 
contend  for  a  footing  in  every  seam  and  fissure  of  the 
contiguous  crags,  grouped  and  scattered  among  t)ieir 
projections  in  such  a  manner  as  delights  an  artist,  and 
over  all,  frowns  Mt.  Washington,  strongly  contrasting 
the  brilliant  play  of  the  cascade,  and  the  varied  lively 
green  of  the  adjacent  forests. 


-< 


W 

^ 


ai.EN    EI.T.IS    FAT.T.. 

This  is  another  wild  cataract  on  the  East  side  of 
the  mountains,  in  point  of  romantic  beauty  disputing 
for  the  palm  of  su])'^riority  with  the  Crystal  Cascade ; 
and  some  })eople  even  give  it  the  preference  over  its 
more  impetuous  rival. 

Its  locality  is  about  a  mile  further  down  the  road, 
a  few  rods  off  to  tlie  left,  in  a  deep  ravine  on  EUis 
River.  You  approach  it  through  hoary,  moss-bearded 
woods,  whose  solitudes  ever  reverberate  the  song  of 


jHir- 


l"('Ct; 
nken 
|l^•ing 

Klire, 

•iisin 
ii'tion 
ursiie 


)irc'h, 


(ik'U  Ellis  Fall. 


MONTRKAL    RAIL    ROA IJ    (iUIDE. 


101 


its  waters,  and  in  threading  your  way  down  occasion- 
ally catch  glimpses  of  the  eml)attled  cliffs  of  Carter 
Mountain,  not  unfrcqucntly  overshadowed  by  heavy 
masses  of  clouds.  Turning  an  abrupt  bluff  suddenly 
the  fall  bursts  upon  the  view,  sweeping  do\ m  between 
two  immense  sections  of  precipice. 

The  water  falls  in  an  unbroken  mass  a  distance  of 
seventy  feet,  but  owing  to  a  bulge  in  the  rock,  twists 
to  the  left  so  as  to  make  almost  a  complete  turn  be- 
fore it  reaches  the  deep  basin  in  which  it  is  lost  be- 
low. Trees  and  shrubs  climb  the  mural  cliffs  contig- 
uous wherever  they  can  get  a  footing,  and  from  its 
summit,  clinging  with  its  long  bird  toes  to  the  fissures 
of  the  rock,  shoots  a  tall  hemlock  far  over  the  rushing 
waters,  nearly  a  hundred  feet  in  height.  How  it  has 
thus  sustained  itself  on  the  dizzy  verge  through  the 
fierce  onslaughts  of  the  mountain  tempests,  "  from  its 
youth  up,"  seems  a  mystery,  and  looking  upwards  one 
almost  expects  to  see  it  topple  down,  of  its  own 
weight ;  and  yet  on  a  recent  occasion,  when  a  party 
of  visitors  were  present,  a  lad  climbed  to  its  very  top, 
and  looked  down  into  the  seething  basin,  a  vacuum 
of  nearly  two  hundred  feet  beneath  him,  with  the  ut- 
most indifference — for  which  feat  he  considered  a 
York  sliiUing  a  handsome  compensation  I 

This  fall  was  christened  with  the  name  it  now  bears 
in  the  summer  of  1852,  by  a  i)arty  of  ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen from  Portland,  who  in  hunting  up  the  romantic 
scenery  of  the  region,  casually  learnt  of  its  existence. 
Although  some  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  nearest 
towns  had  known  of  it,  by  report  or  otherwise,  as  the 
"  Pitcher  Fall,"  it  is  not  mentioned  in  any  of  the  guide 
books,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  it  was  wholly  un- 
known to  tourists. 


^i 


•>:  f/ 


ll 


102 


PORTLAND,     WIHTK     MOUNTAIN?*     A  N  1» 


The  rivulet  which  supplies  llic  water  to  the  Crystal 
Cascade  and  this  fall,  has  been  named 

THE    CRYSTAL    STREAM. 

This  stream  was  explored  by  a  gentleman  from 
Charleston,  S.  C,  and  the  writer  of  these  pages,  in 
in  1852,  and  unless  traversed  by  the  bear  and  deer 
hunters  of  the  mountains,  it  had  probably  nfever  been 
fully  known  before. 

It  was  a  question  v/ith  visitors,  where  so  large  a 
body  of  water  came  from,  and  ascertaining  that  a 
spring,  which  had  its  rise  three  or  four  hundred  yards 
Southerly  from  the  toj)  of  Mount  Washington,  flowed 
in  this  direction,  we  ascended  the  mountain  by  the 
bridle  path,  and  essayed  to  fo'  ow  it  down,  rightly,  as 
it  proved,  conjecturing  that  this  was  the  source  of  the 
Stream. 

Mr.  Hall,  to  whose  energy  in  part  is  to  be  attributed 
the  construction  of  the  house  which  is  perched  hke 
an  eagle's  eyry,  down  among  the  summit  crags,  join- 
ed us.  Keeping  the  brook  .n  sight,  we  descended, 
leaping  from  crag  to  crag,  where  a  false  step  might 
have  broken  a  lea:,  if  nothing  worse,  until  we  were 
arrested  in  our  progress  by  a  yawning  chasm  six  or 
seven  hundred  feet  in  depth  I 

Our  brook,  or  more  properly  torrent,  augmented  by 
several  tributaries  whicli  it  had  pressed  into  its  service 
on  its  way  down,  here  spread  out  over  a  shelving 
rock,  and  falling  in  a  hundred  dripping  streams,  was 
lost  to  our  view  below.  Again  far  down  through  the 
shattered  rocks  and  blasted  shrubbery,  at  the  bottom 
of  the  immense  gulf,  it  appeared  in  sight,  winding  its 
way  in  snowy  foam,  or  gleaming  like  silver,  where  it 


'rystal 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


103 


slid  over  some  smooth  shelf,  but  the  sound  of  thefall- 
ino-  and  rushing  water  ceased  to  vibrate  the  atmos- 
phere ere  it  reached  the  lofty  spur  on  which  we  stood. 
All  to  us  was  silence,  wild  and  mysterious. 

Against  the  edges  of  the  surrounding  cliffs  the  clouds 
occasionally  drove,  in  their  retreat  throwing  a  deeper 
o-loom  over  the  savage  scenes  below.  As  JelTerson 
said  of  the  passage  of  the-  Shenandoah  and  Potomac, 
through  the  Blue  Ridge,  the  scene  was  worth  a  trip 
across  the  Atlantic  to  behold. 

By  making  a  detour  of  half  a  mile,  appearances 
indicated  that  we  might  descend  into  the  ravine  with- 
out much  trouble,  but  we  were  pressed  for  time,  and 
would  gain  an  hour,  perhaps,  if  we  coukl  descend  from 
the  point  where  we  were  stEinding;  so  we  resolved  to 
make  the  attempt. 

The  i)recipice  was  jagged  with  projections,  seamed 
with  fissures,  and  had  many  a  rugged  shelf  that  af- 
forded good  foot  hold,  and  low^ering  ourselves  down  by 
the  cavities  in  one  place,  making  a  jump  in  another, 
anon  following  a  descending  seam,  and  where  we 
could  do  no  better,  making  a  short  slide,  we  at  length 
reached  a  broad  projection  of  ledge,  partly  covered 
with  earth,  dank  mosses  and  trailing  grasses,  among 
which  grew  a  perfect  swamp  of  wild  flowers,  deep 
blue,  brilliant  yellow,  wliite  and  pink,  some  of  them 
of  fine  fragrance,  and  all  new  to  me. 

The  position  we  occupied  was  continually  wet  with 
the  mists  and  spray  from  the  descending  water.  Look- 
ing up,  the  wildness  and  sublimity  of  the  scene  were 
almosi  terrifying.  Imagine  a  rugged  bluff  some  four 
hundred  feet  above  us,  darkened  by  hovering  cIouvas, 
its  surface  for  the  width  of  fifty  yards  striated  all  over 


h 


fe;. 


101 


PORTLAND,     WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


with  innumerable  rib])ons  and  strings  of  liquid  crys- 
tal, which  ribbons  and  strings  were  changed  into 
diamond  dust  by  the  action  of  the  atmosphere  before 
they  reached  the  rock  below,  and  you  may  have  a 
faint  conception  of  it.  From  the  many  ramifications 
into  which  the  water  was  divided  where  it  fell  over 
the  precipice,  we  gave  it  the  name  of  the  Fall  of  a 
Thoi'sand   Streams. 

"We  had  still  a  descent  of  two  or  three  hundred  feet 
to  make ;  but  beneath  us,  and  stretching  up  a  liollow 
along  the  base  of  the  precipice,  for  tlie  distance  of  a 
hundred  yards  or  more,  was  a  bed  of  ice  and  snow, 
and  far  down  the  dark,  misty  glen,  rolled  the  voiceless 
stream,  tempting  us  onward  :  so  turning  our  faces  to 
the  rock,  we  resumed  our  scramble  down,  and  after 
various  difhculties,  some  of  which  taxed  our  ingenuity 
and  nerves  not  a  little,  we  stood  on  a  level  with  the 
snow  bank,  and  gave  three  cheers  which  were  return- 
ed with  three  times  three  by  the  mural  cliifs  around  I 

Next  to  tlie  face  of  the  bluff,  the  snow  had  melt- 
ed away  so  as  to  leave  a  gaj)  between,  too  wide  to 
jump;  we  therefore  descended,  and  passed  under  the 
snow  bank  through  a  passage  made  by  the  torrent, 
where  an  arch,  at  least  ten  feet  in  thickness,  was  above 
our  heads.  This  was  late  in  the  season,  the  20th  of 
August,  and  from  the  de|)thof  the  bank,  its  granulated 
appearance,  and  from  a  small  dark  vegetable  mould 
or  lichen,  with  which  it  was  covered,  we  knew  that  it 
had  remained  from  the  previous  winter,  and  had  some 
reason  to  suppose  that  it  was  perpetual. 

Here  Mr.  Hall  left  us ;  and  weary  with  the  exer- 
tions made  in  the  descent,  we  flung  ourselves  ou  a 
shrubby  knoll,  and  more  leisurely  looked  about  us. — 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


105 


crys- 

into 

J e  fore 

lave  a 

ations 

over 

OF    A 


We  were  walled  in  on  all  sides  but  to  the  Southward, 
by  precipices  and  steep  acclivities,  from  five  hundred 
to  a  thousand  feet  in  height,  the  diameter  of  the 
circular  array  of  cliffs  being  scarcely  quarter  of  a  mile. 
What  better  name  could  attach  to  such  a  spot,  than 

the 

MOUNTAIN    COLISEUM. 

On  the  South  West  the  shaggy  steeps  of  Mount 
Miuiroe  were  marked  with  the  track  of  many  an  ava- 
lanche, which  bearing  in  its  course  the  stunted  trees, 
rocks  and  gravel,  had  encumbered  the  ravine  with 
their  debris,  presenting  a  picture  of  perfect  desolation. 
Northerly,  over  the  frowning  cliffs  ])y  which  we  had 
found  our  way  down,  trailed  the  Fall  of  a  Thousand 
Streams,  in  many  places  shattered  into  spray  by  pro- 
jecting crags,  but  immediately  condensing  to  stream 
down  over  other  projections,  until  concentrating  its 
force  in  a  shelving  hollow,  it  broke  away,  a  fierce  tor- 
rent down  through  the  boulders  and  blasted  shrubbery 
of  the  ravine. 

Farther  to  the  Northward  towered  Mount  Wash- 
ington above  the  mural  cliffs,  and  at  their  base  stretch- 
ed along  the  belt  of  snow  and  ice,  in  strong  relief 
against  their  dark  back  ground.  A  little  farther  to  the 
right,  the  ravine  was  strown  with  enormous  shattered 
fragments  of  rock,  which  had  tumbled  from  the  upper 
cliffs,  and  farther  East  frowning  over  the  mouth  of  the 
ravine,  a  lofty  spur  of  Mt.  Washington  took  peculiar 
shapes ;  and  relieved  against  the  blue  sky,  it  required 
no  great  stretch  of  imagination  to  fancy  them  the 
genii  of  the  mountains  frowning  on  us  for  intruding 
into  their  secret  domains. 

Far  down  through  the  passage  which  opened  out  of 
10 


lOG 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


this  stupendous  amphitheatre  of  rock,  swept  a  waste 
of  forest  tops,  concealing  witli  their  exuberant  verdure 
the  rough  steeps  that  sustained  them,  and  beyond 
rolled  away  the  lesser  hills  of  the  range,  l>!llow  alter 
billow,  till  the  eye  wearied  in  tracing  them  through 
the  violet  haze  of  the  horizon. 

A  week's  study  of  the  oceanic  })ictures  to  be  seen 
from  the  top  of  Mt.  "Washington,  would  not  give  so 
vivid  an  im})ressiou  of  the  elevation  and  hugeness  of 
the  mountains,  as  a  glance  at  the  craggy  walls  of  that 
singular  glen  I 

It  must  not  be  inferred  that  the  ruggedness  of  this 
picture  was  entirely  without  enlivening  features. — 
There  were  flowers  of  various  hues  growing  luxuri- 
antly among  the  rocks  and  along  the  bed  of  the  tor- 
rent—  the  erigeron  and  blue  aster,  epilobium,  and  oth- 
ers for  which  though  familiar,  I  have  no  name ;  and 
on  a  dry  knoll,  near  the  snow  l)ank,  a  cluster  ol'  straw- 
berry plants  were  just  struggling  into  blossom,  while 
close  about  us  grew  a  patch  of  stunted  whortleberry 
bushes,  blue  with  fruit.  The  berries,  however,  were 
sour,  and  had  the  appearance  of  being  a  npecies  be- 
tween what  is  called  the  black  whortleberry  and  the 
blue  variety. 

With  a  lingering  look  at  the  sublime  scene,  we  re- 
sumed our  scramble  downwards,  keeping  to  the  rough 
bed  of  the  stream,  in  preference  to  trusting  to  the 
scraggy  shrubs  which  had  penetrated  through  the  })ass, 
the  tete  d  arme  of  the  vast  forest  columns  that  were 
pressing  up  the  steeps  from  all  sides  below. 

The  water  plunged  and  curvetted,  and  leaped  from 
rock  to  rock,  and  so  did  we  I  Here  it  spread  out  into 
a  deep  basin,  there  it  rushed  forward  impetuously,  and 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUFDE. 


107 


^vaste 

"dure 

^yond 

after 

Irouirh 


with  one  long  loap  was  lost  in  some  dark  chasm,  send- 
ing forth  a  hollow  roar  that  resembled  distant  thunder. 
Now  passing  through  a  narrow  passage,  it  spread  fan- 
like  over  a  smooth  shelf;  again  it  was  lost  under  a 
gigantic  boulder,  to  gush  up  below  as  if  forced  out  by 
some  tremendous  engine.  Many  of  these  bouklers, 
hundreds  of  tons  in  weight,  encumber  the  ravine  ;  in 
composition  they  seem  entirely  diverse  from  the  rock 
strata  of  the  locality. 

Following  the  bed  of  the  stream  thus  down  the  wild 
gorge  a  mile  or  so,  it  brought  us  suddenly  ujion  the 
borders  of  a  small  lake,  that  lay  in  the  embrace  of  an 
arm  of  Mt.  Washington,  as  it  were  in  trance,  reflecting 
on  'Js  shining  surface  the  waudering  clouds,  the  frown- 
ing cliffs,  and  the  grizzly,  moss-bearded  spruces  that 
in  close  array,  leaned  out  from  its  shores.  This  we 
named  the  Hermit  Lake. 

No  bird  winged  his  llight  over  its  glassy  waves,  no 
sound  disturbed  the  repose  of  its  scraggy  woods,  but 
it  lay  in  the  lap  of  the  hills,  where  it  had  remained 
for  ages  ur  visited  by  any  living  thing  exce])t  the  sul- 
len bear  <  r  prowling  wolf,  or  possibly  the  fearless  mm- 
ters  of  the  region — a  picture  of  utter  loneliness. 

Tlicrc  is  a  lakelet  on  the  elevated  plain  between 
Mounts  Franklin  and  Washington,  "a  gem  in  the  set- 
ting of  irranitc,"  called  the  "Lake  of  the  Clouds," 
which  has  won  the  admiration  of  tourists,  but  our 
Hermit  Lake  embosomed  in  this  deep  mountain  gorge, 
glassing  the  rude  clifls  and  thicket  woods  around,  is 
infinitely  more  lone  and  enticing. 

The  entire  fall  of  the  stream,  from  its  first  appear- 
ance near  the  top  of  Mount  Washington,  down  to  the 
Crystal  Cascade,  is  over  four  thousand  feet,  or  more 


f.  1] 


Ill 


U-, 


108 


rORTLANP,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


than  three  quarters  of  a  mile  —  the  whole  distance  of 
its  course  about  five  miles.  From  the  Ileiinit  Lake 
to  the  Cascade,  a  distance  of  not  far  from  three  miles, 
its  career  is  through  a  deep  gorge  darkened  hy  precip- 
itous ledges  and  encumbered  with  vast  boulders,  shat- 
tered stumps,  and  the  chaotic  remains  of  slides  from 
the  steep  ridges  on  either  hand,  under  which  and  over 
which  the  hurrying  waters  fret  and  foam,  ])ound  and 
phmge,  in  every  conceivable  form  und  manner,  pro- 
ducing many  falls  tliat  will  com})are  in  wildness  and 
beauty,  if  not  in  height,  with  either  the  Crystal,  or  Glen 
Ellis  Fall.  Then  there  arc  sparkling  basins  deeply 
worn  in  the  rock,  and  level  curvatures  danmied  u])  by 
boulders,  dead  trees  ai  d  gravel,  and  overshadowed  by 
the  pendant  l)ranchcs  of  the  mountain  ash,  asj)en 
poplar  and  tremulous  b'rch,  fit  for^the  gambols  of  Nai- 
ads— exquisitely  beautif'il. 

In  some  places  the  forest  trees  crowd  close  to  the 
rushing  water,  clinging  with  their  brawny  roots  to  the 
bare  rocks  and  dank  hollows ;  in  others  they  retreat 
back  over  steep  escarpments,  which  produce  almost 
unceasing  twilight  in  the  ravine. 

J3TRCH    PITCH, 

Is  the  name  which  has  attached  to  a  fall  about  half 
a  mile  above  the  Crystal  Cascade,  where  two  colossal 
dead  birches  lift  their  spectre  arms  from  the  very 
midst  of  the  stream. 

The  locality  is  choked  with  the  debris  of  winter 
floods,  through  which  the  water  foams  and  frets,  and 
on  which  the  brilliant  tinged  summer  flowers  bloom 
as  if  in  irnckery  of  the  desolation  around.  The  name 
was   suggested  by   a  gentleman  who  was  one  of  the 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD   (UllDE. 


109 


most  active  advocates  and  forwarders  of  the  rail  road, 
and  lust  Prc^'  lent  of  the  Cor[)oration,  who,  in  com[)a- 
ny  with  the  landlord  of  the  Glen  House  and  the  wri- 
ter of  these  paf]fes,  ascentlcd  the  stream  to  this  point, 
before  its  further  exploration. 

Some  twenty  rods  bidow,  a  columnar  fall  has  exca- 
vated a  deep  cistern,  about  six  feet  in  diameter,  in  a 
level  flat  of  compact  granite,  and  as  nicely  as  if 
wrought  by  machinery.  Out  of  Ibis  the  limpid  water 
pours  into  a  smooth  bowl,  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  cir- 
cumference, also  hollowed  in  the  rock,  an  excellent 
arrangement  for  a  cold  bath. 

In  short  the  romantic  features  of  the  stream  are 
almost  endless  ;  and  they  may  be  reached  with  hardly 
so  much  fatigue  as  is  experienced  in  the  ascent  of  Mt. 
Washington  on  foot.  But  proljably  a  bridle  path  will, 
in  time,  be  made  along  the  border  of  the  ravine,  even 
to  the  top  of  Mt.  Washington,  bringing  the  tourist  in 
contact  with  all  its  romantic  r».:.tures. 

The  Crystal  Stream  is  not  the  same  with  the  Pea- 
body  River,  as  some  suppose  ;  but  pours  its  waters 
into  the  Ellis  River,  over  Glen  Ellis  Fall,  having  cros- 
sed the  rinkham  Road  in  three  several  divisions, 
which  are  spanned  by  gridiron  bridges.  It  is,  however, 
asserted  by  dwellers  among  the  mountains,  that  it 
formerly  ran  into  the  Peabody,  and  that  during  the 
memorable  storm  of  August,  1826,  when  the  Willey 
family  were  destroyed,  the  stream  excavated  a  new 
channel. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  objects  we 
have  here  attempted  to  describe,  are  all  connected 
with  ONE  of  the  mountain  gorges ;  the  exploration  of 
others  may  reveal  many  features  quite  as  sublime 
and  beautiful.  10* 


ii"s 


m 


ild 


l",)RTI,AM),     WrilTK     MOCNTAIN     A.Nfi 


ill' 


Tlie  Glen  House  is  in  the  midst  of  strerims  and 
brooks  whicli  abound  with  trout,  not  to  mention  in 
this  connection  the  teeming*  I'eabody.  Tlie  ]'iincipal 
one  of  these  is  Nineteen  Mile  Brook,  so  designated 
because  the  i)oint  where  it  crosses  the  Pinkhani  lioad 
about  half  a  mile  below  the  house,  is  just  ninet'jon 
miles  from  the  boundary  line  of  Conway.  It  is  a  most 
romantic  stream,  working  its  way  through  rocky  glens 
and  forests,  whose  lonely  seclusions  have  never  been 
explored,  excepting  by  the  adventurous  hunters  — 
having  its  source  in  the  gorge  between  Ilight  and 
Carter  mountains,  some  three  or  foiu*  miles  up.  The 
fisher  who  possesses  an  ordinary  degree  of  skill  can 
hardly  fail  of  procuring  an  abundance  of  trout  in  its 
dark  pools  and  shady  rip|)les  in  all  weathers. 

Near  the  source  of  this  stream,  among  wooded 
steeps  and  shattered  crags,  that  burst  up  into  the  sky 
in  the  wildest  forms,  is  a  deep  lakelet,  whose  waters 
approach  in  clearness  the  atmosphere  itself — a  perfect 
gem  of  the  wilderness.  Its  Western  ]>orders  arc  over- 
shadowed by  a  ragged  precipice  from  three  to  four 
hundred  feet  in  perpendicular  height,  crowned  with 
forests ;  and  with  this  for  a  base  line,  its  shore  de- 
scribes a  semi-circle,  and  is  fringed  with  a  sandy  beach 
which  :s  seldom  trod  except  by  the  wild  deer  who 
come  here  to  drink. 

The  precipice,  on  the  discharge  of  a  gun,  it  is  said, 
gives  back  a  strange  echo,  at  times  clear  and  oft  re- 
peated, again  confused  as  the  uproar  on  a  battle  field. 
Hunters  represent  that  an  enormous  slide  on  the  South 
East  slope   of  Mount    Hight,   has  filled    the   ravine 


.MONT«I:aL    UAll.    IlUAl)    iJflDE. 


Ill 


nns  and 
lit  ion  in 
'incipaj 
iunatod 
a  Koad 
iiiet'jon 
I  most 
y  i?leus 
or  been 
liters  — 
i^lit  and 
[).  The 
kill  can 
ut  in  its 


tliroiigli  wliicli  flows  the  head  waters  of  the  Ellis 
River,  with  sliattered  trees,  und  boulders  of  liii«j;o  di- 
mensions ;  and  is  eoutiniially  tiiml)lin<i;  down  masses 
of  rock,  which  tearing  their  way  througii  all  obstruc- 
tions, have  created  a  picture  of  terrible  devastation. 
The  section  offers  a  fmc  field  for  the  explorations  of 
the  adventurous  tourist. 


THE    IMP 

An  object  of  interest  to  the  curious  between  the 
Alpine  and  Glen  Houses,  is  a  grotesque  figure  or 
sphinx,  colossal  in  its  pro})ortions,  formed  by  the  crags 
of  the  Imp  Mountain.  It  is  seen  to  the  best  advan- 
tage on  the  Westerly  side  of  the  Peabody  River,  in 
the  afternoon ;  and  in  order  to  get  to  the  point  of  ob- 
servation, the  excursionist  must  cro.js  the  bridge  about 
a  mile  and  half  below  the  Glen  House,  where  the  old 
post  road  turns  off  towards  Randolph,  and  proceed 
thence  a  quarter  of  a  mile  or  so  down  the  left  bank 
of  the  river,  to  the  first  farm  house. 


ji  .i 


i 


l\:i 


mUTI.AN'l),    WIIITI':    MOUNTAINS    AMt 


The  iiiiM<j;(r  looks  uji  the  Viillcy,  as  il'oii  duty  :is  a 
sentry,  but  like  n  siMitry  wliu  lias  bocoinc  dozy  lliron2;h 
lotif?  WiitchCiilnoss.  Many  tliiiik  it  a  tnon^  wonderful 
icon  tlinn  tlio  (udohratcd  "Old  M;ui  of  ilio  Mitini- 
tain"  at  Fraiiconiii.  However  this  inny  ho,  all  mast 
concuir  that  the  ride  down  I'roni  the  (Jleu  Ilonsp,  is 
one  whose  pic'tnres([Me  Mttraclions  will  well  repay  the 
time  and  cost  of  the  exenrsion. 


\  . 


IIEIGIITS  OF  THE    PRINCIPAL    SCMMITS. 

The  lieii!;hts  of  the  prineipal  mountain  peaks,  as 
ascertained  by  William  A.  Gocnlwin,  Escp,  one  of  the 
engineers  of  the  rail  road,  is  — 

Washington, 028-^  icet. 

Adams, o790      " 

Jo  f  Person r>710      " 

Madison 5:JG1       " 

The  elevntion  of  the  other  summits,  according  to 
old  measurements,  is  — 

Clay, />Oll     feet. 

Munroe, 5:M9 

Franklin, 1850 

rieasant AT  13 

Clinton,  4200 

Several  other  peaks  attain  to  an  altitude  of  more 
than  3000  feet,  among  which  are  Mounts  Moriah, 
Webster,  Crawford,  Kiasargc,  Higlit  and  Carter. 


To  the  great  body  of  j)leasurc  travelers.  Summer  is 
the  season  wlien  the  mountains  jiresent  their  greatest 
attractions.     Then  there  arc  crowds  at  the  hotels,  and 


MOMKKAI,    UAtl,    KOAI)    (illDK. 


11:5 


none  luck  coiiipimy  in  their  (Wiuirsions  to  llie  viuiuiis 
intcrcstini?  k»c!ilili<'s.  Tlicii  iic([ii!iiiit!ui('('s  nrc  foriiictl 
whic'li  not  iintr('(|U()ntly  ri[){'n  into  tiMnU'rcr  tics ;  then 
the  hii^h  sun  htoks  into  evciy  sechulcd  <;lcii  and  val- 
ley, clothes  the  trees  in  the  j^jossiest  «?reeii,  and  lures 
out  the  cheery  wild  flowers  into  every  •^reen  nook  find 
forest  oixMiing. 

And  they  who  seek  the  hills  for  their  more  novel 
but  transient  attractions,  will  delay  their  piiurinuit^c 
till  after  the  iirst  frosts  of  AtTir.M.v  have  bei-n  abroad, 
dispensing  regal  garnuMits  to  the  vegetable  uorld,  as 
it  were  i)rei)aratory  10  the  advent  of  the  Winter  King. 
When  every  precipice  is  hung  with  tapestry  more 
brilliant  in  its  hues  than  ever  emanated  from  oriental 
loom,  and  the  forests  arc  inlaeed,  as  it  were,  with 
iridescent  decorations,  whose  splendor  and  profusion, 
art,  backed  u\)  Ijy  all  the  wealth  in  the  world,  cannot 
approach.  Autumn  in  its  Indian  sunnner  aspect, 
when  the  mountains  put  oil'  their  cloud  shawls,  and 
stand  up  in  the  violet  hued  atmospliere  in  the  repose 
of  conscious  power,  every  ridge  and  outlmc  clearly 
defined  —  Mdien  the  streams  in  the  deep  dells  respond 
to  tlie  glances  of  the  sun  with  a  hazy  and  vmcertain 
ghnuner,  and  the  grass  in  the  meadow  droops,  and 
the  blue  aster  in  the  shadow  of  the  wood  vainly 
strives  to  put  on  its  summer  smile. 

h\  a  letter  to  the  ]Joston  Transcript,  in  the  fall  of 
1852,  from  Rev.  T.  Starr  King,  written  after  a  trip 
over  the  Atlantic  and  St.  Lawrence  Hail  lload,  we 
find  the  following  passage  : 

"  The  only  way  to  appreciate  the  magnificence  of 
the  Autumnal  forest  scenery  in  New  England,  is  to 
observe  it  on  the  hills.      I  have  never   before  had  a 


$  1 .1 


\^  'I  a 


m 


1m 


m 


Ill 


PORTLAND,    WlIITn    MOUNTAINS    AND 


■ill 


i 


conception  of  its  gorgcousness.  The  appearance  of 
tlie  mountain  sides  as  we  wound  l)etwecn  tliera  and 
swept  by,  was  as  if  some  omnipotent  magic  has  been 
busy  wi1h  the  landscape.  It  was  hard  to  assure  one- 
self that  the  cars  had  not  been  switched  ofTinto  fairy 
land,  or  that  our  eyes  had  not  been  dyed  with  the  hues 
t)f  the  rain1)ow.  No  dream  could  have  had  more 
brilliant  or  fanlastic  drapery. 

"  Now  we  would  see  acres  of  the  most  gaudy  yel- 
low heaped  upon  a  hill  side  :  soon  a,  robe  of  scarlet 
and  yellow  wouhl  grace  the  proiiorticns  of  a  stalwart 
sentinel  of  the  valleys,  here  and  there  a  rocky  and 
naked  giant  had  thrown  a  brilliant  scarf  of  saflron  and 
gold  around  his  loins  and  across  his  shoulders;  and 
frequently  a  more  sober  mountain  with  aristocratic 
and  unimpeachable  taste,  would  stand  out,  p.rrayed 
fro.n  chin  to  feet,  in  the  richest  garb  of  brown,  purple, 
vermilion,  and  straw  color,  tempered  by  large  spots  of 
heavy  and  dark  evergreen.  It  did  not  seem  possible 
tluit  all  these  square  miles  (jf  gorgeous  carpeting  and 
brilliant  upholstery  had  been  the  work  of  one  week, 
and  had  all  been  evoked  by  the  wand  of  frost,  out  of 
the  monotonous  green  which  June  had  dung  over  na- 
ture. The  trees  seemed  to  have  bloomed  into  roses, 
or  rather  to  be  each  a  nosegay,  done  up  into  proper 
shape,  and  wailing  to  be  i)lucked  for  the  hand  of  some 
Brobdignag  l)elle." 

But  he  who  wishes  to  see  the  mountains  in  their 
most  sublime  aspects,  must  traverse  their  passes  in 
Winter.  Let  him,  for  instance,  follow  up  the  Pea- 
body  in  January.  Then  the  sun  scarcely  rises  above 
the  uplifted  horizon  of  mountain  ridges,  and  the  snowy 
crowns  of  Mount   Washington  and  his  compeers,  in 


fi 


MOx\TREAL    ilAII.    ROAD    (iUII)K. 


ll-'i 


uico  of 
'111  and 
i^  been 
I'o  one- 

'  faiiy 
hues 

more 


contrast  with  tlio  bleak  Ibrosts  that  cVm^  about  their 
hips,  ghtter  with  a  dazzhng  wliiteness  that  makes  the 
eye  quiver.  Or  if  contemplated  in  the  mooiihgiit, 
their  dimly  defined  peaks,  against  the  field  of  cold 
blue  that  characterizes  the  sky,  seem  imbued  with 
a  phosphorescent  glow  that  lights  up  the  sky  cavern, 
and  will  make  the  traveler  almost  fancy  himself  in 
spectre-land. 

Then  the  mountain  torrents  pile  up  sparry  palaces 
and  grottos  of  crystal,  against  the  precipices,  and  hang 
the  impending  woods  with  glittering  stalaclites,  crea- 
ting an  array  of  splendor  that  might  vie  with  the  fa- 
bled beauties  of  fairy  land. 

Then  the  voice  of  the  ice  ])ouncI  river  is  hushed, 
and  silence  watches  over  every  object,  silence  and 
boding  solitude,  —  save  when  the  fitful  wind  rushes 
out  from  the  top  of  Mount  Washington  and  shakes 
the  ])Owdered  snow  from  his  hoary  locks  in  blinding 
wreaths  on  the  deep  sunken  passes.  J3nt  it  is  time 
we  were  prosecuting  our  journey  round,  the  moun- 
tains. 

J'lIE   MOUNTAIN   CIRCUIT. 

The  tourist  who  wishes  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of 
all  the  most  prominent  features  of  the  mountains, 
should  make  their  circuit,  l)y  the  stage  line  that  mns 
daily  through  the  rinkham  valley. 

This  route  passes  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Crystal  and 
Glen  Falls,  and  thence  through  the  town  of  Jackson 
to  Bartlett.  At  the  latter  })lace  it  intersects  the  old 
road  up  the  valley  of  the  Saco,  leading  through  the 
Notch,  passing  which  it  strikes  off  to  the  right  some 
six  miles  beyond,  and  makes  a  detour  over  Cherry 
Mountain,  and  through  Jefferson,  Kilkenny  and  Ran- 
dolph, back  to  the  Station  House. 


i 


J 1 ' 


lU) 


roilTLAM),    WHITE    MOUM'AINS    AM) 


Leaving  the  Glen  House  by  this  route,  you  proceed 
some  half  a  dozen  miles  over  a  rough  road,  then 
strike  upon  a  turnpike,  in  a  more  smooth  and  open 
country,  whence  for  miles  you  have  a  full  view  of  the 
loftiest  summits,  Mount  Washington  included,  in  their 
Southern  aspects  — a  view  unsurpassed  for  sublimity 
and  beauty,  and  which  the  eye  leaves  with  regret. 

At  Jackson  village,  on  the  Ellis  stream,  is  a  pictur- 
esque waterfall  some  seventy  or  eighty  feet  in  height, 
which,  although  curbed  up  to  do  the  labor  of  a  small 
mill,  claims  a  full  share  of  attention  Eight  miles  this 
side  of  the  Notch,  on  the  banks  of  the  Saco,  is  the 

MOUNT    CRAWFORD    HOUSE. 

This  place  for  many  years,  and  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  was  the  residence  of  "old  Abel  Crawford"  the 
pioneer  settler  of  the  mountain  district,  whose  vener- 
able countenance,  and  whose  fund  of  anecdotes  in 
reference  to  his  early  life  and  experience  among  the 
mountains,  will  be  well  remembered  by  all  who  have 
ever  tarried  with  him. 

At  the  back  of  the  house  winds  tnc  Saco,  through 
a  channel  which  it  has  worn  in  the  solid  granite  — 
probably  the  patient  work  of  centuries,  and  the  scene- 
ry around  possesses  many  attractions. 

The  house  still  retains  its  original  name,  but  few 
traces  of  the  old  mansion  of  the  Crawfords  can  be 
discovered  in  the  large,  handsome  and  commodious 
hotel  into  which  it  has  grown  l)y  successive  additions. 

Six  miles  off  among  the  woods  and  hills,  is  the  se- 
cluded lakelet  known  as  Bemis  Pond,  famed  in  the 
elder  Crawford's  time  for  its  noble  trout,  and  as  it  is 
not  much  visited,   it  is  still  in  high  re})ute  by  those 


MONTREAL    HAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


117 


who  consider  a  basket  full  of  fine  fish,  as  sufficient 
compensation  for  the  difficulties  and  fatigtie  to  be  ex- 
perienced in  reaching  it  The  brooks  and  streams  in 
the  vicinity,  which  are  much  more  easi'y  accessible, 
are  also  favorite  resorts  of  the  trout  fisher. 

Mount  Washington  may  be  ascended  from  this 
point  by  a  road  which  passes  over  Mount  Crawford, 
and  overlooks  the  Saco  valley,  with  its  winding  river 
and  mountain  barriers.  Southward. 

Proceeding  towards  the  Notch  from  the  Mount  Craw- 
ford House,  the  scenery  constantly  enchains  the  at- 
tention of  the  tourist.  Mountains  of  the  most  rugged 
aspect  tower  away  on  either  hand,  whose  sides  are 
broken  into  crags,  and  scarified  by  the  tracks  of  many 
an  avalanche,  or  strown  with  blasted  trees  which  have 
been  torn  up  and  hurled  down  the  precipices  by  tem- 
pests, while  up  their  steep  guHies  still  press  the  un- 
daunted forests,  varying  the  roughness  of  the  scene 
with  their  luxuriant  and  lively  green,  with  here  and 
there  some  richly  tinted  maple  or  birch,  that  has  been 
touched  by  unseasonable  frosts,  towering  in  their 
midst  as  if  the  standard  bearers  of  the  gallant  array. 

Nearer  at  hand  sings  the  wayward  river,  amidst  its 
fringe  of  trees,  or  deploys  some  grain  field,  weltering 
in  the  mountain  wind,  whose  breath  even  in  the  most 
serene  summer  day  is  never  wholly  hushed;  or  the 
forests  approach  the  road  and  inlock  their  arms  so  as 
to  form  a  green  arch  above  you  more  elaborate  in  its 
tracery  and  ornaments  than  the  noblest  gothic  minstpr 
can  boast. 

Meanwhile,  owing  to  the  sinuosities  of  the  road,  the 
traveler  soon  becomes  surrounded  by  mountains.    Be- 
fore him,  behin<\  him,  on  the  right  and  on  the  left, 
11 


t 


■  '■  .,=■ 


118 


rORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    ANJ( 


■i 


they  tower  like  immense  unscalable  ramparts,  appar- 
ently leavinii'  no  chance  lor  egress. 

Such  is  the  character  oT  the  scenery  until  you  ar- 
rive at  the 

^VIT.^.KY    HOUSK, 

Six  miles  from  the  Mount  Crawiovd  House,  and 
two  miles  Southerly  of  the  Notch.  The  scenery  here 
is  unsurpassed  in  grandeur  and  beauty;  bat  there  is 
a  melancholy  interest  connected  with  the  place  cal- 
culated to  swerve  the  mind  from  its  natural  attrac- 
tions.    It  was  here    that  the   AVilley    family   (from 


The  Willcy  House. 

whom  the  house  derives  its  name)  consisting  of  nine 
persons,  including  two  l)oarders,  were  destroyed  by 
an  avalanche  on  the  night  of  the  28tli  of  August,  1826, 
during  a  terrific  tempest.  Prol)ably  feeling  the  earth 
shake  beneath  them  with  the  concussion  of  the  ele- 
ments, [j^robahly,  for  none  of  them  escajied  to  tell  the 
tale;)  or  it  may  be,  still  more  alarmed  l)y  the  premon- 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


119 


u  ar- 


itory  trcinbliiiGfs  of  jho  down  eavinii-  inouiitnin,  thoy 
forsook  llicir  house  and  fled  towards  a  rceoss  in  the 
rocks,  which  had  been  fitted  nj)  as  a  shelter  in  case  of 
any  such  calamity,  l)nt  the  slidinu'  mountain  —  torrent, 
rocks,  trees,  earth  and  j^ravel,  jji:rindiiii]i:  and  thunderin<5 
in  its  descent  with  a  eoramotion  tiiat  made  even  the 
dwellers  at  tlic  distant  Crawford  farm,  trcniMe  with 
apprehension,  swept  over  and  bnried  them,  while  the 
lionse  from  Avliich  ihey  liad  fliMJ,  owinti'  to  the  ava- 
lanche being  divided  by  a  s})nr  of  tiie  bed  rock  in  its 
rear,  remained  nnharmcd  !  Seven  of  the  bodies  were 
subsequently  dug  out,  and  buried  together  down  l^y 
the  river  a  liltle  to  the  right  of  the  house.  A  mound 
of  stones,  marks  1hc  sj)ot,  which  yearly  increases  in 
size,  it  hnviiig  become  a  practice  for  visitors  each 
to  add  a  sloue. 

That  wikl  night  is  still  remembered  with  terror  by 
those  who  experienc(Hl  its  eflects  in  other  parts  of  the 
mountain  glens — the  fitful  moanings  of  the  gale,  the 
rushing  of  the  great  rain  through  the  darkness,  the 
crash  of  the  thunderbolt,  the  momentary  fall  of  rocks 
loosened  from  the  heights,  crushing  the  mighty  pines 
and  birches  in  their  headlong  career  down  the  moun- 
tain steeps,  and  the  boom  of  the  flooded  torrents  and 
streams  !  The  old  man  Crawford  used  to  relate  that 
the  Saco  rose  as  it  were  at  a  bound,  to  the  level  of 
his  house,  twenty  or  thirty  feet  from  its  ordinary  bed, 
and  even  jlooded  his  lower  floors  to  the  dc})th  oi  a 
foot  or  more  ;  but  retired  almost  as  suddenly. 

Professor  Espy,  in  some  of  his  writing  states  that 
there  may  be  a  condition  of  the  atmosphere  which 
will  precipitate  the  clouds  into  a  dense  column  of 
water  instantaneously;   and  several   years  after  tho 


h 


I 


1 

: 

|H 

'    ! 

H 

1    ! 

; 

H  I    : 

H^^  ^  M 

i 

hI 

1 
i 

^K| 

Rl' 

^ 

v:i 

ICO 


rORTLAND,    WIIITK    MOUNTAINS    AND 


catastrophe  in  question,  while  on  the  .spot  and  wit- 
nessing the  remains  of  the  shde  in  the  heaps  of 
stumps,  roots  and  bonklcrs  that  still  obstructed  the 
channel  of  the  river,  he  unhesitatingly  gave  it  as  his 
opinion  that  something  near  this  sudden  condensation 
of  the  clouds,  must  have  taken  i)lace  and  caused  it. 

The  house  remained  as  it  was  left,  for  years,  a  sort 
of  hos])ice  for  travelers  whose  business  led  them 
through  that  dreary  wild  in  winter,  though  untenanted 
in  summer ;  l.i.t  it  has  more  recently  exi)anded  into  a 
large  and  commodious  hotel,  which  the  great  increase 
of  summer  travel  seemed  to  require  at  that  j)oint,  and 
is  now  kept  in  a  manner  that  cannot  fail  of  being  sat- 
isfactory to  those  who  may  tarry  here  to  examine  the 
interesting  features  of  the  neighborhood. 

The  scenery  for  the  remaining  two  miles  to  the 
Notch  is  of  the  same  sublime  character  with  that  we 
have  endeavored  to  describe  on  the  route  up  from  the 
Mount  Crawford  House,  the  majestic,  the  wild  and 
beautiful,  varied  by  new  hghts  and  shades,  giving  it 
the  charm  of  novelty,  each  successive  hour  in  the  day. 
THE     NOTCH. 

Approaching  this  stupendous  rocky  gate  way,  Mt. 
Webster  lifts  its  shattered  walls  on  the  right,  and  on 
the  left  soars  Mt.  Willard,  with  a  deep  dark  ravine  at 
its  base,  far  down  which  the  Saco,  here  a  mere  rivu- 
let, runs  its  rejoicing  course,  hidden  among  the  thick 
array  of  pines  and  spruces.  The  road  is  built  at  the 
side  of  this  ravine,  and  as  you  pass  along  you  may 
catch  occasional  glimjises  through  the  tree  tops  below 
you,  of  the  water  twisting  and  sparkling  among  the 
rocks  and  bushes  at  its  bottom. 

The  whole  vast  chasm  between   Mounts  Webster 


..*  J 


wit- 
|).s  of 
|il  the 
IS'  his 
[ation 
M  it. 

sort 
[them 
piited 
nto  a 
I'case 
,  unci 
sat- 
e  the 


■  J 


11* 


■  .'!' 


lii> 


MONTRHAL    KAIL    RUAI)    (JKIDK. 


123 


and  Willnrd,  extcndinj;  at  least  for  two  miles,  is  the 
wonderful  fenturc  of  the  locality,  and  tiiere  arc  iew 
wonders  with  which  tiie  civilized  world  arc  conver- 
sant, that  will  compare  with  it,  but  the  narrow  gate- 
way, hewn  by  the  hand  of  Nature  through  the  solid 
rock,  some  twenty-five  feet  in  width,  and  twenty  in 
depth,  is  usually  recognized  as  the  "  Notch." 

On  the  left  as  you  go  up,  about  half  a  mile  this  side 
of  the  gap  or  gateway,  a  beautiful  fall  comes  leaping 
and  sliding  down  the  rocks  and  fissures,  called  the 
Silver  Cascade.  This  has  been  much  admired  in  by 
gone  times,  but  contrasted  with  the  Crystal  Cascade 
and  Glen  Ellis  Fall,  it  does  not  a})pear  to  advantage, 
unless  just  after  a  shower,  when  it  comes  rollicking 
down,  and  scattering  its  spray  to  the  rocks  and  shrubs 
on  either  hand,  with  a  coquettish  display  of  its  charms, 
as  if  sensible  of  its  increased  importance  ! 

Looking  up  on  the  other  side  in  the  beetling  wall  of 
Mt.  Willaid,  and  near  its  summit,  the  mouth  of  a  dark 
cavern,  called  the  Devif  s  Den,  catches  the  eye.  Some 
years  ago  a  gentleman  was  lowered  by  a  strong  rope, 
from  the  crag  above,  down  to  this  cavern.  There 
were  bones  and  skulls  about  it,  as  if  it  had  been  the 
resort  of  wild  animals, —  who  might  have  approached 
by  seams  and  fissures  in  the  rocks  known  only  to 
themselves — but  dangling  over  a  gulf  a  thousar.d 
feet  in  depth,  with  a  prospect  of  encountering  a  wild 
cat  or  wolf,  if  he  entered  the  cavern,  was  a  little  too 
much  for  his  nerves,  and  he  was  glad  enough  to  get  a 
foot  hold  on  the  clifl'  again. 

Minute  descriptions  of  such  romantic  localities  as 
the  Notch,  generally  fail  to  give  any  correct  idea  of 
them,  and  we  will  only  add  that  the  eye  wearies  in 


;l- 


' 


lu 


' 


■!     I 


I  ■.!  n 


,"!i 


124 


roRTr.ANlJ,    WlflTK    MOr:.\  TAINS    AlVl) 


contomplMlinir  the  varied  ohjocts  of  gi-fiiidcnr  find  beau- 
ty  wliicli  charnctcrizc  (lie  soction. 

Just  l)cyond  i\io.  Noti'li  is  the  laigo  and  coinmodious 
hoi  ^i  known  as  the  Cniwford  or 


Norcii  iiousK, 

built  within  two  or  throe  years.  It  is  under  llie  iiropri- 
ctorshi|)of  Mr.  J.  L.  Gibb,  who  won  Ji  merited  popular- 
ity  us  keeiier  of  the  Lafayette  House,  at  the  Franconia 
Noleh,  and  now  in  a  more;  enlarged  sphere,  is  a  deserv- 
ed (avorite  with  travelers. 

From  this  point,  looking  Northerly,  the  country  js 
more  level,  the  mountains  retiring  on  oilhcr  hand  and 
leaving  a  valley,  through  which  winds  the  river  i\m- 
monoosuc.  This  stream  takes  its  rise  in  Mt.  AVusli- 
ington,  receiving  tributaries  from  Mts.  Munroe,  Frank- 
lin, Pleasant,  Clinton,  Willard  nnd  Tom. 

From  this  house  a  carriage  path  has  been  construc- 
ted to  the  top  of  Mt.  Wiljard,  where  those  who  cannot 
endure  the  iatigues  of  ascending  the  more  eminent 
summits,  may  obtain  views  of  the  majesty  of  the 
mountain  scenery,  which  in  many  lespects  equal,  and 
in  some  surpass,  those  from  more  elevated  i)oints. 

A  good  bridle  path  also  departs  hence,  leading  over 
Clinton,  Pleasant,  Franklin  and  Munroe,  to  the  top  of 
Mount  Washington,  diversiiied  in  its  far  and  immedi- 
ate views  so  OS  to  give  the  excursion  a  never  Hugging 
interest. 

Contimiing  on  our  tour  aroiuid  the  mountains,  four 
miles  further,  you  come  to  the  location  where  stood 
the  Mount  Washiugto'i  House,  which  building  was 
burnt  lo  the  ground  in  the  spring  of  lb-33.  This,  on 
account  of  its  romantic-  attractions,  was  one  of  the 


i:;  I 


li 


MONTREAL    KAIL    IIOAI)    (JtriPE. 


125 


"'  I'cnn. 
hioilions 


•  projiri. 

"'I'lilar- 

I'l'iconia 

llUlry  \^ 

\nd  nu-l 

<^-r  Am- 

AVasIi. 

l-'jiiuk- 

Jiistnic- 
>  cannot 
'ininont 
of  tlio 
ifvl,  and 
Its. 

ig"  over 
I  top  of 
imcdi- 


aii'frmo- 


5,  lour 
stood 
^  was 
lis,  on 
)(■  tlio 


earliest  fasliifjnablc  resorts  of  the  rof^ion,  nnd  another 
hotel  will  doubtless  he  put  up  on  the  site  of  the  old 
one.  Here  you  have  a  full  view  of  the  Westerly  de- 
clivities of  the  nu)uutiuns,  euibraoin^  all  the  highest 
peaks,  whose  l)eauty  has  often  ealled  forth  eneuuiiuuis 

in  print. 

Tlie  soft,  purple  hue,  at  times  tlirowii  over  their 
lone  ridges  by  the  summer  sunsets,  enhances  their  at- 
tractions from  tliis  ])oint. 

The  old  bridle  path  hence  for  ascending*  Mount 
Washington  is  carefully  constructed,  and  as  the  return 
route  is  diflerent  from  that  of  the  ascent,  the  whole 
tour  possesses  a  never  llauging  interest. 

The  Lower  Amnionoosuc  Falls,  distant  half  a  mile 
from  this  place,  should  not  ho  passed  l)y  without  the 
notice  of  the  excursionist,  and  the  locality  of  the  two 
"Upper  Falls"  of  the  Ammonoosuc,  four  miles  distant, 
and  reached  hy  a  romantic  bridle  path  winding  ofT 
among  the  hills  and  vallies,  is  still  more  attractive,  not 
only  on  account  of  the  peculiar  wildness  and  beauty 
of  the  i)lunging  and  boiling  waters,  but  for  the  wide 
and  deep  wells  worn  by  their  whirling  motion  in  the 
solid  rock,  similar  to  those  in  Albany,  and  more  per- 
fect, but  not  so  immense. 

A  long  and  narrow  heap  of  earth  fifty  feet  in  height, 
called  the  Giant's  Grave,  near  the  site  of  tlie  house, 
is  supposed  by  some  to  be  the  work  of  people  who 
lived  in  that  lost  age  when  the  mounds  and  enclosures 
of  the  Great  Western  valley  were  reared.  Perhaps 
they  journeyed  far  from  the  pleasant  clime  of  the 
Ohio,  and  erected  this  mound  as  an  altar  to  the  Deities 
of  the  mountains;  many  of  the  mounds  of  the  far 
West  bciuii:  known  to  inclose  altars.     A  cannon  dis- 


i 


il 


I  'ij 


lt>') 


roiiTLAND,  wiiiri:  mokntains  a\i» 


n  ! 


I 


clmriiod  at  this  point,  or  the  hlnsl  oC  ii  htiulo,  will  set 
the  (lisliuil  (biTst,  c'sc:ir|>iiuMit  in  iVoiit  cchoiu'r  and  ro- 
vcrhcrnting  with  iui  indiisti-y  and  i-liinu,()r  tridy  ro- 
niarUahU'. 

'11  ii:  wiii'ii:   MorN'i'Aix  hoi-st, 

Is  l)iit,  half  ii  niih-  bcvond  this  loi'idil) ,  mid  ol'  course 
possesses  the  same  ehai'msoC  sctniery.  It  isaiuodorn 
built,  neat  and  commodious  eslablishmcut,  luid  its 
landlord,  Col.  John  II.  White,  is  a  g'enllemau  who  ap- 
preciates, and  attends  accordingly  to  the  wants  of  the 
traveler. 

It  is  not  our  province  to  decide  as  to  the  superiority 
of  either  of  these  moimtain  hotels.  Each  has  its 
warm  advocates,  and  it  is  sunicient  in  a  guidt!  hook, 
like  this,  to  state   '.3  simple  fact  thattliey  are  all  good. 

Brook  or  motded  trout  may  be  caught  more;  or  less 
plentiful,  in  all  the  mountain  rivulets  and  streams;  and 
there  is  no  loss  to  attain  this  kind  of  spoit  from  any 
of  the  houses.  Find  a  brook,  a  ])ond,  or  a  stream  any 
where  in  the  region,  said  a  facetious  friend,  and  you 
have  only  to  drop  a  line  to  the  cunning  little  rogues, 
and  they  will  l)e  all  ready  I 

THK    NOK  THKllX    SLOPI-IS. 

Thus  far  the  tourist  has  Ik^u  brougli'  into  contact 
with  the  linest  and  most  notetl  objects  of  the  moun- 
tain scenery  on  the  East,  South  and  West.  With  the 
exception  of  the  view^s  from  Ilandolidi  Hill  and  Tna- 
lin  Falls,  wc  have  had  little  to  say  in  regard  to  the 
Northern  slopes,  and  it  is  but  Justice  to  slate  that  the) 
possess  features  of  grandeur  and  beauty,  although  of 
a  diflcrent  character,  1  t  surpassed  by  any  of  those 
already  witnessed. 


All 
sea 

or< 

inc 
(lis 

cu:t 
est 


MONTlinAI.    KAIL    KOAI)    (.1  IDi:. 


\:il 


will  set 
and  re- 

I'lily  re. 

iiiudcrn 
htiid    Its 

"I"  llic 

H'Wority 
has   its 
■   I'Ook, 
"  good. 
or  Ji'ss 
IS ;  and 
^'111  any 
iim  !iny 
\\^\  you 
rogues, 


'onlficl 
nioun- 
itJKlie 
i\  13  iT- 
lo  the 
t  thcj 
I'ih  of 
tiiu.sc 


A  liiiP  t'T  singes  rims  (hiily  from  (lildi's,  round  t<i  i lie 
Alpine  or  Station  llonse,  rirriving  nt  the  latter  point  iu 
scnson  Cor  an  early  dinner,  and  to  takc^  the  noon  train 
of  cnrs  so  that  the  traveler,  who  has  tollowed  with 
nie,  leaving  (Jibh's,  or  While's  in  the  morning,  if  so 
dis[t(jsed,  may  arrive  at  Portland  al  I  o'eloek,  and  in 
Bjston  by  0  P.  M.,  (»('  llie  same  day,  besides  l)eing 
enabled  1o  e(.iin[ilete  the  circuilof  the  central  and  lufli 
est  summits  of  the  While  Mountain  group  I 

From  Gibb's  down  to  White's,  we  have  already  al- 
luded to  the  scenery;  from  tin-  lathr  point  the  road 
passes  (or  the  lirst.  two  miles*  through  a  primitive  for- 
est, in  whoso  deep,  shady  recesses,  the  squirr(^l  chat- 
ters undislurlied,  and  the  cawing  of  the  jay  rings  wild 
and  wide.  Presently  yon  lind  yourself  ascending,  by 
easy  gradations,  the  sloj)es  of  Cherry  Mountnin,  over 
which  you  pass,  and  crossinu"  Israel's  River,  come  upon 
the  more  o])en  country  of  the  iownshi[)  of  Jefferson. 

You  arc  still  among  the  hills,  but  the  road  is  excel- 
lent, and  patches  of  wheat,  rye,  barley  and  oats,  are 
spread  over  the  undulations,  while  the  broomy  pasture 
lands  higher  up,  allbrd  sustenance  to  numerous  sheep 
and  cattle,  and  here  nnd  there  on  some  green  flat,  or 
under  some  sheltering  knoll,  you  discover  a  snug  farm 
house,  with  its  hay  stack  nea:  by,  or  its  spacious  barn 
wide  open,  as  if  in  expectation  of  the  incoming  har- 
vest—  scenes  pleasantly  varying  from  the  untamed 
luxuriance  and  stern  aspects  of  the  mountains,  with 
which  yon  have  been  of  late  conversant. 

Meanwhile  you  agnin  come  in  view  of  the  mon- 
arch of  the  mountain  region  lifting  his  hoary  forehead 
into  communion  with  the  clouds,  or  throwing  back  the 
glances  of  the  morning  sun — with  his  lofty  sup])ort- 


«(: 


Ifii 


m 


'ill, 


128 


ro  III  LAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


1  k 


Uh 


1,!^     'M 


ill 


ft   . 

J'  r 
U  .- 

m 


W) 


ers  crowding  near,  and  the  iinfaihomed  ravines  that 
drop  awny  in  darkness  and  shadow  I'roni  their  craggy 
ridges ;  and  distance  gives  them  that  appearance  of 
cahii  dignity,  which  seems  to  lie  the  attribute  of  exal- 
tation and  power,  no  less  among  mountains,  than  men  I 
For  seven  or  eight  miles  while  ])assing  through  Jef- 
ferson, Kilkenny  and  Randol])h,  you  thus  retain  some 
of  tlie  principal  peaks  in  sight,  and  only  lose  them 
on  approaching  tlie  Alpine  House. 

FRANCONIA. 

If  the  tourist  before  completing  the  circuit  we  have 
just  traced  out,  wishes  to  visit  Franconia  Notch,  he 
may  do  so  by  taking  the  stage  at  White's,  the  distance 
bomg  about  twenty  miles. 

The  Old  Man  of  the  Mountains,  a  gigantic  pro- 
file of  the  human  face  cut  by  the  hand  of  Nature  on 
a  tall  cliir  far  up  a  wooded  hill,  is  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  objects  of  this  section.  The  "  Old  Man's 
Lake,"  a  small  clear  sheet  of  water,  which  flows  under 
the  mountain  ridge,  might  appropriately  be  called  the 
Old  Man's  Mirror. 

The  Basin,  another  object  of  attraction  to  the  curi- 
ous at  this  point,  is  a  deep  excavation  in  the  bed  rock 
of  the  Pemigewasset  Stream,  some  twenty-five  feet 
in  diameter,  and  thirty  feet  in  depth  from  the  original 
surface  of  the  rock,  and  contains  some  fifteen  feet  of 
water.  The  stream  still  rushes  through  it,  continuing 
the  slow  process  of  enlargement. 

Echo  Lake,  is  a  small  but  deep  sheet  of  water,  a  short 
distance  from  the  Lafayette  House,  surrounded  by 
cliffs  and  mountains.  A  gun  discharged  from  the  sur- 
face of  this  lake  creates  reverberations  alrao  t  deafen- 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


129 


nos  that 
r  craggy 
(I'i^nce  of 
of  exal- 
[an  men  I 
(ugh  Jef. 
lin  some 
Me  them 


we  have 
otch,  he 
distance 

intic  pro- 
latiire  on 
me  most 
Id  Man's 
ws  under 
ailed  the 

the  curi- 
bcd  rock 
fiv^e  feet 
original 
n  feet  of 
ntinuing 

r,  a  short 
aded  by 
the  sur- 
deafen- 


ing  —  seeming  more  hke  the  opening  roar  of  a  park 
of  artillery  on  a  battle  field  than  mere  echoes.  The 
writer  of  these  pages,  so  far  as  he  is  aware,  was  the 
first  to  discover  this  remarkable  phenomenon.  Pass- 
ing through  this  Notch  some  eighteen  years  ago,  just 
as  the  then  landlord  and  his  newly  married  wife  were 
taking  possession,  he  sauntered  down  to  the  lake. 
An  old  skiff  lay  upon  the  shore,  and  a  loaded  gun 
stood  against  a  neighboring  tree,  where  the  landlord 
who  had  been  watching  for  wild  ducks,  had  left  it. 
Wishing  to  get  a  view  of  the  hills  from  the  midst  of 
the  lake,  and  at  the  same  time  thinking  possibly  to 
get  a  shot  at  the  host's  expected  game,  he  took  the 
gun  on  board  and  shoved  out  into  the  midst  of  the 
water,  and  on  discharging  it,  the  echoing  crash  was 
such,  that  for  a  moment,  he  really  thought  the  con- 
cussion, slight  as  it  was,  had  shaken  down  some  of  the 
chlTs  of  the  mountain  which  towers  near  I 

The  Flume  is  a  deep  narrow  chasm  dividing  an 
immense  bluff,  some  two  hundred  feet  long,  and 
seventy  feet  high,  through  which  a  branch  of  the 
Pemigewasset  comes  rushing  down.  At  the  upper 
end  a  large  granite  boulder,  probably  fallen  from 
above,  has  got  firmly  wedged  in,  some  tweve  feet 
above  the  water  I 

The  Pool,  a  small,  deep  pond  almost  entirely  wall- 
ed in  by  rocky  cliffs,  and  Ferrin's  Pond,  secluded 
among  the  trees,  are  also  attractive  objects  of  the 
vicinage  ;  and  the  section  further  abounds  in  scenery 
of  a  character  calculated  to  gratify  the  taste  of  the 
lover  of  nature. 

The  Franconia   Notch,   as  the  pass  is  called,  is 
formed  by  Mounts  Lafayette  and  Jackson  —  the  for- 
12 


'i 


III  I 


130 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


m  1 


mer  rising  to  the  heigh  of  5700  feet   above  the  level 
of  the  sea. 

Tlie  hotels  are,  the  Lafayette  House,  kept  by  Mr. 
L.  "W.  Cobleigh,  Jr.,  close  under  Mount  Lafayette, 
and  the  Flume  House,  six  miles  further  down  the 
Pemigewasset,  under  the  proprietorship  of  Mr.  R. 
Taft,  both  of  which  vie  with  the  other  hotels  of  the 
mountain  region  in  llieir  eflbrts  to  please  the  traveling 
public. 


But  we  will  suppose  ourselves  once  more  arrived 
at  the  Alpine  House.  This  spacious  hotel  from  its 
excellent  accommodations,  attracts  the  pleasantest 
class  of  company,  and  hence  as  well  as  on  account  of 
its  central  position  in  the  broad,  open  valley  of  the 
Androscoggin,  it  is  a  superior  place  to  settle  down, 
recruit,  and  enjoy  the  mountain  air. 

Among  the  many  other  conveniences  which  the 
proprietors  of  the  house  have  bestowed  ujion  it  with 
an  unsparing  hand,  is  the  establishment  here  of  a 
Telegraphic  Station,  communicating  with  all  the 
principal  cities  and  towns  of  the  States  and  Canada, 
and  thus  enabling  the  tourist,  w^hile  enjoying  the  di- 
vertisements  of  the  mountains,  to  inform  himself,  at 
any  moment,  of  the  condition  of  ailairs  at  home. 
This  is  certainly  a  most  important  desideratum  to 
those  who  have  left  relatives  or  friends  in  ill  health 
behind,  or  whose  business  calls  require  llieir  personal 
supervision. 

Ere  resuming  our  seat  in  the  rail  car,  it  Avould  be 
well  to  state  to  tlie  excursionist,  that  if,  having  "  done 
up'"  the  objects  and  points  of  attraction   which  we 


' 


MONTREAL    HAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


131 


[he  level 

by  Mr. 

t%ette, 

|own  the 

Mr.  R. 
Is  of  the 
traveling 


•■  arrived 

from  its 

asantest 

^coiint  of 

y  of  the 

le  clown, 

"hich  the 
•n  it  with 
icrc  of  a 
h  all  the 
Canada, 
g  the  di- 
raself,  at 
it  home, 
•atum  to 
11  liealth 
personal 

i^onld  bo 
g " done 
hich  we 


have  heretofore  pointed  out  in  this  section,  he  wisiies 
for  farther  appropriation  of  his  time,  he  will  find  a 
drive  by  the  high  road  to  Shelburne,  six  miles  down 
the  river,  a  delightful  jaunt,  passing  as  it  does,  through 
some  of  the  most  picturesque  scenery  of  the  match- 
less Androscoggin  valley,  and  revealing  many  views 
which  cannot  be  seen  from  the  cars. 

An  excursion  across  the  river  to  the  top  of  Moinit 
Hayes,  will  also  repay  him  richly,  as  the  views  thence 
in  a  Northerly  and  Easterly  direction  arc  only  e(pial- 
led  by  those  from  Mount  Moriah.  In  their  season, 
the  ridges  of  this  mountain  arc  literally  blue  with  the 
quantity  of  whortleberries  which  grow  upon  them, 
tmd  persons  from  all  parts  of  the  surrounding  country, 
at  such  times,  resort  here  to  gather  them. 


But  to  return  to  the  route  to  Montreal : — 
Leaving  the  Station  House,  the  road  crosses  Moose 
River,  about  a  mile  above,  and  soon  after  commences 
the  long  grade  overcoming  the  summit  between  the 
Androscoggin  and  Connecticut  Rivers.    In  the  region 
of  Berlin  Falls,  the  river  descends  230  feet,  in  a  dis- 
tance of  two  miles.     To  overcome  this  summit  by  an 
easy  gradient  of  fifty  feet  to  the  mile,  required  en- 
gineering skill   of  no   ordinary   character;   this   was 
accomplished  by  starting  the  embankment  in  the  plain 
below  the  falls,  and  swinging  from  the  rugged  side  of 
the  mountain  which  the  Androscoggin  here  severs,  so 
as  to  distribute  the  rise  over  a  space  of  four  and  a 
half  miles. 

At  this  point  the  Androscoggin  River  could  be  ea- 
sily turned  into  the  Connecticut,  the  Upper  Ammo- 


'1 

1 

]r 

I 

..      i.     1 

1  .'■ 


132 


PORTLAND,     WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


nonsuck,  an  important  tributary  of  that  river,  taking 
its  rise  within  a  short  distance  of  the  Androscoffo-in 
and  descending  thence  over  190  feet  into  the    Con- 
necticut valley  at  Northumberland. 

liERLIN    FALT^S   VII.I.AGF^, 

Westerly  of  the  Mountains  6  miles,  from  I'oitJnnd  07  miles,  from  Montreul  196 

miles, 

Is  a  station  of  considerable  importance,  on  account 
of  its  business  in  the  lumber  line. 

The  scenery  again  relapses  into  the  rude  and  prim- 
itive, the  country  being  bnt  sparsely  peopled.  Tlic 
road  soon  skirts  Dead  Ptiver  Pond,  and  thence  strik- 
ing the  valley  of  the  Upper  Ammonoosnc,  ibllows  it 
down,  (freqnently  crossing  that  eratic  stream,)  to  the 
Connecticnt  meeting  the  next  station, 

MILAN, 

Westerly  of  the  Whito  Mountains  13  miles,  from  Portland  104  miles,  from 

Montreal  188  mi'ns. 

The  locality  here  is  unimportant,  but  is  destined, 
one  would  suppose,  to  become  populous.  The  whole 
number  of  inhabitants,  according  to  the  last  census  of 
the  township,  was  but  493. 

In  coming  down  from  the  Station  House  'r  this 
point,  the  traveler  may  get  several  tine  views  of  Mt. 
Washington  et  cet,  but  henceforward  he  loses  siglit 
of  the  White  Mountains,  if  we  mistake  not,  alto- 
gather.  At  this  station  the  cars  stop  to  wood  and  wa- 
ter. In  order  to  have  the  water  placed  at  a  sufiicicnt 
elevation,  the  stream  has  been  dammed,  and  a  mill- 
race  constructed  which  carries  pumps  by  which  the 
water  is  forced  up  into  a  large  cistern,  whose  base  is 
on  a  level  with  the  locomotive  tenders.    The  machine- 


takiiio- 

f-'oggin, 

Con- 


})nm- 
-I  lie 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    OiriDE. 


133 


ry  is  covered  by  a  wooden  building,  in  which  a  fire  is 
kept  in  winter  to  prevent  the  water  freezing.  Tliis 
excellent  p  -rangcment  was  planned  by  Mr.  S.  T.  Cor- 
ser,  Superintendent  of  the  American  portion  of  the 
road. 

Still  traversing  a  rough  country,  and  winding  fre- 
quently to  the  right  and  left,  to  avoid  the  hills,  the 
cars  next  haul  up  at 

WEST    MILAN, 

North  'R'ost  of  the  Mountains  18  miles,  from  Portland  109  miles,  from  Mon- 
treal 183  miles. 

Tlierc  is  nothing  to  attract  the  special  attention  of 
the  traveler  here,  so  we  will  rattle  on  to 

STARK, 

West  of  the  Mountains  24  miles,  from  Portland  115  miles,  from  Montreal  177 

miles. 

A  mile  or  so  beyond  this  point,  you  pass  under  a 
tremendous  circular  precipice,  called  the  Devil's  Slide, 
whose  perpendicular  walls,  shattered  and  wracked 
apparently  with  some  mighty  convulsion,  rise  to  the 
height  of  five  or  six  hundred  feet. 

The  Indians,  as  is  well  known,  in  their  mythology, 
peopled  all  these  mountain  regions  with  invisible 
spirits,  who  controlled  the  winds  and  storms,  and  in 
their  quarrels  hurled  the  gleaming  thunder  bolts  at 
each  other,  the  effects  of  which  were  seen  in  the  splin- 
tered trees  and  shivered  rocks ;  and  they  have  a  tradi- 
tion that  in  a  remote  age,  a  huge  mountain  barred  the 
valley  where  now  the  rail  road  passes,  and  that  on  a 
time  when  the  heavens  were  convulsed,  the  earth 
reeling,  and  the  atmosphere  blazing  with  the  terrible 
warfare  of  these  invisible  powers,  one  half  of  the 
mountain  sunk  down,  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth, 
12* 


tin 

;! 

t 

i 

j 
J? 


[I' 


h 


i 


t>- 


134 


POIITT.AND.    WllJTF,    MOUNTAINS    AXD 


til 


(I( 


111 


leavinj^ 

shattered  as  they  have  remained  to  the  present  day. 

Hence  the  name  which  they  now  bear. 

Just  beyond  this  locahty  you  open  on  a  fine  view 
off  to  the  right,  of  those  rcinarkal)lc  twin  mountains, 
called  the  Stra{ford  Peaks  —  generally  considered  to 
be  the  most  symmetrical  elevations  of  the  whole  moun- 
tain region.  Standing  aloof  from  the  dark  mountain 
ridges  which  swing  away  Northerly,  their  white  cones 
clearly  defined  in  almost  all  weathers,  the  tourist  can- 
not mistake  them,  from  whatever  point  viewed ;  and 
none  can  behold  them  but  to  admire. 

Having  these  "  nursing  mothers  of  the  clouds"  al- 
most constantly  in  view  for  six  miles,  you  next  find 
yourself  at 

NORTUMBKRT.AND, 

North  West  of  tho  AVhite  Mountains  31  niiles,  from  Portland  122  miles,  from 

Montreal  170  miles. 

This  is  an  old  town,  its  settlement  having  been 
commenced  as  early  as  1762. 

From  the  rail  road  station,  the  excursionist  sees,  to 
the  Westward,  the  steeps  of  the  Land  Pilot  moun- 
tain, burdened  with  forest,  and  the  loftier  and  more 
rugged  ridge  of  Cape  Horn,  to  the  right ;  while  to  the 
Northward,  are  the  Stratford  Peaks.  He  will  how- 
ever, discover  in  this  untamed  scenery,  but  slight  in- 
dications of  the  agricultural  thrift  and  productive- 
ness which  characterize  the  town. 

The  principal  settlemeuo  is  at  the  fnlls  on  the  Con- 
necticut, about  three  miles  below,  called  Northumber- 
land Bridge,  the  pretty  village  of  Guildhall,  being 
opposite  on  the  Vermont  shore, 

Six  miles  further  down  the  Connect  iciit  is  th(;  town 


|i'C'  and 
It  (lay. 

view 
[iitains, 

|cred  to 
moun- 

ninlfiiu 
cones 

[st  can- 

tl;  and 


\.l 


I 


MA 


i 


<  >  i 


H-^^ 


■  m 


ai 


\t'i 


MONTREAI,    RAIL    ROAD    GITIDE, 


137 


of  Lancaster,  the  most  populous  and  thriving  place  in 
Coos  County.  Here  there  are  many  wellbui't  stores 
and  dwelling  houses;  and  several  kinds  of  manufac- 
tures are  carried  on  ([uite  extensively,  through  aid  of 
the  water  power  furnished  by  Israel's  river,  which 
here  joins  the  Connecticut.  This  river,  has  its  source 
in  a  pond  under  Mount  Adams.  It  takes  its  name 
from  a  noted  hunter  named  Israel,  a  veritable  Leather 
Stockhiiis,  who  for  many  years  pursued  the  game  that 
harbored  up  and  down  its  forest  darkened  shore ,  and 
whose  exploits  are  still  the  theme  of  many  a  winter 
evening's  story  among  the  dwellers  of  the  rcr^icn. 

The  mountains  in  the  region  of  Northund>erland 
and  Guildha^'.,  retire  from  tlie  Connecticut,  irregularly, 
a  mile  or  more,  leaving  to  the  river  a  rich  alluvial  val- 
ley, along  which  are  many  excellent  farms,  and  a  ride 
down  the  New  Hampshire  side,  to  Lancaster,  return- 
ing on  the  Vermont  side,  or  vice  versa,  reveals  a  vari- 
ety of  river  and  rural  scenery,  which  will  delight  the 
excursionist  of  refined  taste. 

The  view  of  the  Stratford  Peaks,  given  by  our 
artist  in  the  foregoing  page,  was  taken  from  the  Guild- 
hall side  of  the  river,  but  as  to  the  mountains  them- 
selves, gives  a  truthful  conception  of  them,  from 
whatever  point  viewed. 

It  would  be  well  worth  the  delay  occasioned  there- 
by, to  ascend  these  peaks,  as  they  command  views  of 
great  extent  and  beauty. 

Maidstone  Lake,  some  six  miles  from  Northumber- 
land, is  often  resorted  to  by  sportsmen  for  the  spendid 
lunge  which  are  taken  in  its  waters,  and  deserves, 
equal  favoritism  for  its  attractive  scenery. 

But  to  return  to  the  Rail  road.    Pursuing  the  course 


% 


i 


:!: 


138 


PORTLAND,    WIIlTIi    MOUNTAINS    AND 


11 

J 

\ 

1 

1 

' 

Ife 

1- 

upwards,  the  route  soou  strikes  the  banks  of  tlie  Con- 
necticut, upon  a  pleasant  intervale,  which  gives  its 
name  to  the  next  Station, 

STUATFOIIT)    irOI.T.OW, 

West  of  the  White;  Mountains  ao  iiiilefi,  from  rortluiid  127  milcn,  from  Mon- 
treal 105  miles. 

This  is  a  mere  hmdini^  phice  for  the  passeni^ers  and 
freight  of  the  fanning  region  which  surrounds  it. 
There  is  a  considerable  village  off  to  the  right,  pos- 
sessing, however,  no  particular  attractions  to  the 
tourist ;  so  contenting  ourselves  with  a  view  of  the 
beautiful  scenery  of  the  locality  — clifls,  slopes,  fields, 
forests  and  groves,  with  mountains  trooping  around 
the  outer  edge  of  the  circle,  and  the  winding  river 
doubling  each  object  in  its  glassy  depths,  we  will  con- 
tinue on. 

Still  following  up  the  Eastern  bank  of  the  Connec- 
ticut River,  with  the  townships  of  Maidstone  and 
Brunswick  on  the  Vermont  side,  and  here  and  there 
opening  on  a  jileasantly  located  farm  house,  with 
orchard  and  mowing  or  grain  fields  spreading  out  over 
the  valley,  or  up  the  slojies,  we  arrive  at 

"TORTH    STRATFOnO, 

North  Westerly  of  the  White  Mountains  4.3  miles,  trom  Portland  i;J4  miles, 
from  Jlontreal  158  miles. 

Here  is  a  small  village,  which  has  received  a  rpiick- 
cning  impulse  in  its  business  by  the  rail  road ;  and 
there  are  some  excellent  farms  along  the  banks  of  the 
river  in  the  neighborhood 

A  line  of  stages  runs  through  this  place  to  Cole- 
brook,  distnnt  about  twelve  miles,  from  which  point 
conveyance  may  be  had  to  that  wonderful  mountain- 
pass  known  as  the  Dixville  Notch,  some  ten  miles 
beyond. 


Con- 
'v'cs  its 


PI'S  and 
lids  it. 

j)OS- 

to  the 

of  tlic 

iolds, 

arouiul 


MOXTllKAl-    JtAII,    JtOAr)    (I  (IKE. 


I.JO 


This  is  nn  immonsc  chasm,  dissevering  liie  iiiomitiiiu 
rnn,ii;e  down  to  its  loiindiition,  whose  |)reci))itons  ridijos 
rival  in  wikhicss  and  siibliniily  tiic  White  Mountiiiu 
Notch. 


^w^*^.jm^^jwi^ 


Dixvillo  Notch. 

The  serrated  clifls  of  mica  slate  on  cither  hant{ 
shoot  into  the  blue  empyrean  in  clean  and  sharply  de- 
fined pinnacles  ami  lances,  to  the  height  of  seven  or 
eight  hundred  feet,  reminding  one  of  the  turrets  and 
minarets  of  Saracenic  palaces.  Here  and  there,  along 
its  walls,  on  some  knotty  sj)nr,  or  in  some  deep  fissure, 
cluster  a  few  spruces  and  wiiitc  birches,  forlorn  'io[)es 
of  vegetation,  as  it  were,  struggling  against  the  sliding 
avalanche  and  almost  invulnerable  sterility;  and  the 
bottom  of  the  dcfdc  is  encumbered  with  shattered 
rocks  and  the  debris  from  the  bristling  crags  above. 

The  locality  is  indeed  a  second  Ai'abia  Petrea,  where 
solitude  has  an  abiding  place.  A  never  ceasing  gale 
howls  its  mournful  anthems  among  its  sharp  ledges, 


.11 


* 


I  v.  h  I 


no 


IMiltTI.AM),     WiriTi:     iMOi;.\TAl\H    AND 


w 


^ 


I 


juid  tortureil  IViimtains  wiiuliiif;  llirough  sccriit  glcn^s, 
send  out  a  gurgle  that  seems  ominous  of  evil.  Other 
sound  there  is  none,  unh'ss  it  ho  the  baric  of  tin  oc- 
casional wolf,  or  the  shout  of  the  wayfarer,  to  whom 
the  echo  of  his  own  voice  in  such  a  solitude  is  com- 
panionable. 

The  region  is  a  favorite  resort  of  the  hunter,  and 
our  CO  mpauion  and  guide,  while  passing  uj)  the  Notch, 
pointed  out  a  crag  near  what  is  called  the  Central 
Pinnacle,  from  whicdi  a  deer,  hotly  pursued,  lcaj)ed 
down,  a  distance  of  five  hundred  feet,  and  was  dash- 
ed to  pieces. 

A  passalde  road  winds  through  Ihc  Notch,  and  con- 
tinues on  some  twenty  miles  through  primitive  scenery 
of  the  most  romantic  character,  to  the  Umbagog  lakes, 
but  to  sec  the  Notch  in  all  its  wildness  and  sublimity, 
it  should  be  ap})roached  from  the  Southern  side. 

Returning  to  North  Stratford,  tlie  rail  road  crosses 
to  the  Vermont  side  of  the  Connecticut  river,  by  a 
substantial  bridge  thirty  feet  in  lieight,  and  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  in  length;  thence  pursuing  a  West- 
erly course  it  soon  strikes  the  valley  of  the  Nulhegan, 
which  it  follows  u}),  occasionally  crossing  the  river  till 
within  about  a  mile  of  Island  Pond. 

The  Nulhegan  region  is  little  else  than  a  vast  forest 
of  pine,  hemlock  and  cedar,  intermingled  with  birch, 
maple,  and  other  deciduous  trees.  Sweeping  up  moun- 
tain sides,  spreading  out  over  swamps,  crowding  to 
the  banks  of  the  rushing  river  and  its  tributaries,  and 
investing  the  lonely  lakelets  and  jionds  with  its  shad- 
owy array,  it  everywhere  presents  the  same  aspect ; 
and  to  those  who  never  before  looked  upon  a  primitive 
wilderness,  offers  a  welcome  contrast  to  the  rural 
scenery  just  left  behind. 


MONTltUAL    RAIL    UOAI)    lilMUi;. 


II 


•glens, 

Other 

:in  oc- 

whom 

IS  coru- 


Thcso  woodod  roj^ions  arc  slill  the  hiimits  of  the 
moose  aiul  the  red  ilrei',  and  thoiij^h  the  shriek  of  the 
locomotive  whistle  inny  drive  them  from  the  immedi- 
ate vicinity  of  the  rail  road,  the  dark  salens  and  thickets 
to  which  they  have  resorted  so  long,  will  not  soon  he 
forsaken  by  them. 

To  the  left  of  the  Niilhcgan  valley  as  yon  proceed 
UJ1,  lofty,  forest-clad  hills  wave  along  in  regnlar  snc- 
ccssion,  bcuiing  away  Sontherly  as  you  ai)proach  Is- 
land Pond,  so  as  partly  to  encircle  that  beautiful  sheet 
of  water,  and  throw  their  evening  shadows  over  its 
surface. 

Just  this  side  of  Island  Pond,  is  reached  by  easy 
grades  the  grand  summit  of  the  Green  Mountain  Ridge 
the  continuation  of  the  great  Alleghany  chain,  which 
divides  the  waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence  basin  from 
those  llowing  into  the  Atlantic  ocean. 

It  is  a  most  remarkable  depression  through  which 
the  whole  line  of  the  Railroad  is  laid,  its  extreme  sum- 
mit being  only  117G  feet  above  tide  water;  and  look- 
ing back  it  strikes  the  mind  of  the  inteUigent  traveler 
with  astonishment  to  find,  that  in  threading  the  mazes 
of  this,  the  most  mountainous  and  intricate  route  from 
the  Atlantic  coast  to  the  St.  Lawrence  basin  East  of 
the  Hudson,  he  can  cross  the  dividing  ridge  with  a 
less  elevation  than  by  any  other  route.  North  or  South, 
but  such  is  the  fact;  and  tlie  thoughtful  mind  can 
scarcely  avoid  the  impression  that  the  Great  First 
Cause  of  all  things,  shattered  down  the  jnccipiccs, 
moulded  the  deep  glens  and  vallies,  auv".  set  the  toil- 
ing streams  at  work  to  rear  embankments  with  the 
ultimate  purpose  of  the  erection,  through  this  other- 
wise impassible  region,  of  a  great  highway  of  NationsI 
13 


U:> 


rORTLANO,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


I* 
^1 


Just  half  way  heUveen  Portland  and  Montreal,  a 
slight  gravelly  ridge,  not  appreciahlc  to  every  eye,  is 
the  point  which  the  engineer's  level  has  demonstrated 
to  he  the  dividing  summit  of  the  great  waters.  Spec- 
tacle Pond  —  so  called  from  its  supposed  conformation 
to  a  pair  of  spectacles — on  the  one  side,  finds  an  out- 
let for  its  waters  through  the  river  Clyde,  the  Magog 
Lake  and  St.  Francis  Kiver,  into  the  St.  Lawrence ; 
on  the  other,  the  Nulhcgan  stream  journeys  on  to  the 
Connecticut,  which  in  turn  pays  tribute  to  the  Atlantic 
ocean. 

The  short  portage  between  the  pond  and  the  boat- 
able  waters  of  the  Nulhegan,  pointed  out  this  as  the 
route  of  the  Indians  in  their  annual  pilgrimage  be- 
tween the  great  river  and  the  sea,  from  time  imme- 
morial. Marks  of  the  Indian  encampments  and  of 
their  trails  through  the  woods  still  remain  ;  and  a  point 
which  makes  out  into  the  pond,  now  called  the  Old 
Man's  Nose,  bears  evidence  of  its  use  as  the  seat  of 
their  council  fues.  The  rounded  point,  clear  of  under- 
brush, and  smooth  as  a  shaven  lawn,  is  overshadowed 
by  a  growth  of  ancient  pines,  forming  a  complete 
shelter  from  the  sun,  while  on  cither  side  and  in  front, 
the  sheltered  waters  of  this  miniature  lake  are  the 
picture  of  calmness  and  re])ose. 

This  spot  is  now  as  well  fitted  for  a  large  pic  nic 
party,  or  lor  a  camp  meeting,  as  if  the  ground  had 
been  prepared  and  the  trees  planted  a  century  ago. 

Bidding  adieu  to  this  pretty  gem  of  the  wilderness, 
the  n,ncicnt  forest  still  bears  you  company  for  half  a 
mile  or  so,  when  you  strike  upon  a  singular  embank- 
ment, which,  although  the  work  of  Nature,  appears 
as  though  thrown  up  on  purpose  for  the  accommoda- 


MONTREAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


11:] 


itreal,  a 
(  eye,  is 
i^trated 
Spec- 
imiation 
an  out- 
Magog 
wrence  ; 
n  to  the 
Atlantic 

lie  boat- 
is  as  the 
lage  be- 
e  imme- 
and  of 
-I  a  point 
the  Old 
B  seat  of 
f  under- 
ladowed 
omplete 
ni  front, 
arc  the 

pic  nic 
ind  had 

ago. 
lerness, 
r  half  a 
tnlmnk- 
ippears 
iimoda- 


tion  of  the  rails,  and  you  soon  haul  up  at  the  termina- 
tion of  the  Atlantic  and  St.  Lawrence  Railroad,  on  the 
Northerly  border  of 

IST.AXD    POXD, 

From  rortland  1-19  mile?,  Westerly  of  the  White  Mountains  53  miles,  from 

Montreal  143  miles. 

The  first  object  that  strikes  the  eye  on  reaching  this 
spot,  is  the  beautiful  island  in  the  midst  of  the  lake, 
whicli  gives  the  name  to  this  locality. 

The  Pond  is  about  two  miles  long  by  half  a  mile 
average  width,  and  lies  partly  in  the  township  of 
Brighton  and  [)artly  in  Wcnlock.  Its  shores  generally 
present  a  white  beach  of  disintegrated  quartz  sand, 
hard  and  smooth,  capable  of  furnishing  an  unbroken 
drive  of  over  five  miles  in  extent. 

Many  of  the  views  in  the  vicinity  are  highly  pic- 
turesque; and  from  the  summit  of  "  Bonnybeag,"  on 
the  Sonth  shore  of  the  lake,  overlooking  the  valley  to 
the  South,  the  eye  takes  in  one  of  the  finest  landscapes 
that  can  be  found  among  the  wilds  of  New  England. 
These  attractions  have  already  excited  the  skill  of  the 
painter,  and  several  beautifid  views  of  the  local  scen- 
ery have  been  taken,  among  which  one  by  our  artist, 
from  whicli  the  following  engraving  was  copied,  gives 
a  very  accurate  conception  of  the  Pond,  the  Island, 
and  adjace.it  shores  and  mountains. 

The  i);i[)ortancc  of  the  locality,  in  a  business  point 
of  view,  has  recently  been  immeasurably  eiilianced 
by  the  amalgamation  of  all  the  great  Canadian  Rail- 
way eiiter})rises  into  one  "  Grand  Trunk  line,"  which 
trunk  here  connects  with  the  Portland  Road,  and  thus 
finds  a  channel  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean  shorter  than 
could  possibly  be  obtained  by  any  other  route.     This 


1 


I 


Ui 


144 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


Ci! 


m  ' 


magnificent  consummation,  it  may  here  be  well  lo 
state,  will  secure  an  unbroken  line  of  Railroad  on  the 
broad  gauge,  from  Halifax,  through  New  Brunsvvick 
and  Maine,  to  Montreal,  Toronto  and  Detroit,  a  dis- 
tance of  13-30  miles! 

It  is  in  contemplation  to  extend  the  Passumpsic  Rail 
Road  to  this  point,  and  this  road  being  on  the  narrow 
guage  will  here  require  the  transhipment  of  goods. — 
The  Missisquoi  Railroad  to  extend  from  Rouse's  Point 
to  Island  Pond,  and  here  connect  with  the  Portland 
Road,  will  save  at  least  eighty  miles  in  distance  from 
Ogdensburg  to  an  Atlantic  port,  over  either  of  the 
Boston  routes.  The  length  of  this  latter  road  will  be 
but  sixty  miles,  and  such  ste})s  have  already  been  tak- 
en, as  makes  its  completion  very  probable.  Thus  will 
Island  Pond  become  the  great  inland  centre  of  a  most 
magnificent  net  work  of  Railroads,  and  in  time  will 
probably  be  the  principal  port  of  entry  on  the  Cana- 
dian frontier. 

The  depot  grounds  of  the  two  companies,  in  view 
of  this  state  of  things,  are  laid  out  on  the  most  exten- 
sive scale,  comprising  an  area  of  twenty'  acres,  and  a 
spacious  station  house,  two  large  engine  houses,  repair 
shops,  Sec,  are  building,  while  private  enterprise  has 
laid  out  the  adjoining  section  with  broad  streets  and 
avenues,  which  are  to  be  graded  as  fast  as  the  require- 
ments of  the  place  demand. 

A  spacious  hotel  in  progress  of  construction,  will  be 
opened  during  the  summer  to  accommodate  travelers, 
as  the  through  trains  will  here  stop  for  dinner,  and  way 
trains  for  the  night. 

The  locality  must  become  a  favorite  resort  for  sports- 
men.    The  pond  abounds  with  lunge  and  other  fine 


ivell  Lo 
on  the 

a  dis- 


ll  I 


i 


1"  : 


l3 


13* 


fish, 

and 

witl 

tini 

cat( 

I 

dis 

hill 

lire 

poi 

r 

gio 
for 
Se 
ani 
na 
br( 
te( 
eq 
of 
El 

m 
L 

b( 

S( 

ri 
tl 
tr 
k 
1] 

I 


AIONTREAL    IJA[L    llOAl)     GUIDE. 


117 


fish,  and  as  it  is  connected  with  Memphremagog  Lake, 
and  thence  by  a  series  of  hikes  and  streams  even 
with  the  St.  Lawrence  itself,  it  will  probably  long  con- 
tinue to  afford  ample  amusement  to  the  lovers  of  pis- 
catorial sports. 

Lake  Willoughby  in  Westmore,  some  twelve  miles 
distant,  a  perfect  Como  in  its  woods,  cliffs,  slopes  and 
hills,  has  a  good  hotel  for  the  accommodation  of  pleas- 
ure and  fishing  parties,  and  the  drive  between  the  two 
points  is  characterized  by  the  finest  scenery. 

There  are  several  other  lakes  and  ponds  in  the  re- 
gion, deserving  the  especial  attention  of  the  tourist, 
for  their  fine  fishing  and  scenery,  among  which  are 
Seymour  Lake  in  Morgan,  Echo  Lake  in  Charleston, 
and  the  chain  of  lakes  and  ponds  in  Averill  and  Ca- 
naan. All  these  lakes  abound  in  fine  fish,  and  the 
brooks  and  streams  in  the  neighborhood  everywhere 
teem  with  trout.  As  to  hunting,  the  facilities  are 
equally  promising,  the  woods  affording  all  the  varieties 
of  game  common  to  the  unsettled  districts  of  New 
England  of  similar  latitude. 

The  undulating  country  Northward  of  Islai'd  Pond, 
more  especially  between  Coaticookc  River  and  Magog 
Lake,  and  extending  into  Canada  to  the  great  forest 
beyond  Richmond,  a  distance  of  between  sixty  and 
seventy  miles,  abounds  with  all  the  concomitants  of  a 
rich  and  populous  rural  district — busy  market  towns, 
thrifty  hamlets,  excellent  farms,  good  stage  roads 
traversing  every  section,  and  the  best  of  horses,  neat 
kine  and  other  stock.  And  with  their  thrift,  the  in- 
habitants seem  to  have  acquired  a  taste  for  the  appro- 
priate and  picturesque,  seen  in  the  location  and  con- 
struction of  their  dwellings,  in  the  disposition  of  their 


■  1  M 


k  I 


fii 


Ti 


H8 


I'OKTLAM),     WHITE     MOUNTAINS     AXlJ 


iHi] 


m 


¥ 


li' 


1 1 


oiitbuiklings,  and  in  their  shade  trees,  gardens  and 
I'ences,  too  often  wanting  in  agricultural  regions  far 
inland.  This  feature  can  but  he  noticeable  to  all  who 
travel  through  Stanstead,  Hatlcy,  Compton,  Ascot,  and 
other  of  the  somewhat  famous  Eastern  Townships, 
not  leaving  out  Derby,  and  some  adjoining  towns  on 
this  side  of  the  line ;  and  it  often  comes  in  as  a  fill 
lip  or  finish  to  pictures  of  rural  beauty,  such  as  must 
enrapture  the  fancy  of  the  painter. 

The  scenery,  indvOed,  of  the  whole  region  is  pecu- 
liarly attractive.  Its  surface  is  broken  up  into  rolling 
hills,  and  the  farms  arc  generally  under  a  superior 
state  of  cultivation.  Each  has  its  maple  grove,  (high- 
ly prized  for  the  production  of  sugar)  its  W(.v  d  lot  of 
beech,  birch,  elm  and  other  hard  woods,  and  often  its 
growth  of  evergreen  timber,  stretching  up  the  hill 
sides,  along  the  vallics  and  bordering  the  rich  alluvial 
bottom  lands,  giving  the  charm  of  diversity,  while  the 
lakes  and  rivers  with  which  the  country  al)o\mds  add 
the  feature  of  water  prospect,  without  which  no  land- 
scape, however  attractive  in  its  details,  is  coniiilete. 

Of  the  lakes  the  most  extensive   and  beautiful  are 

Memphemagog,  (oftener  called  Magog)   Massawippi, 

and  Seaswanincpcs.     The  first  mentioned,  extending 

in  a  direction  nearly  North  and   South  from   Coventry 

in  Vermont,  to  Waterville,  Canada,  a  distance  of  thirty 

miles,  with  an  average  width  of  about  two  miles,  has 

few  equals  in  regard  to  beauty  and  variety  of  scenery 

in  America.     The   Green  Mountains,  which  traverse 

the  whole  length  of  Vermont,  advance  their  outposts 

to  its  very  shores,  while  on  the  ojiposite  side 

"  Mountains  that  like  giants  stan<1, 
To  sentinel  enchanted  hvnd," 


I 


arc 


lis  and 
3ns  far 
11  wlio 

Ot,flllcI 

SHIPS, 

iVlLS  on 

a  fill 
must 

pecii- 
roUing 


MO.VTRKAL    RAIL    ROAD    GUIDE. 


Ill) 


arc  arrayed,  as  it  were,  a  corps  of  observation,  watcli- 
inf;;  their  stern  opponents  of  the  hitlier  shore. 

Owl's  Head,  one  of  the  princi[)al  summits  on  the 
Western  border  of  the  lake,  rises  to  the  altitude  of 
2500  feet,  and  its  top  commands  views  of  mountains, 
vallies,  plains  and  waters,  marshalled  afar  in  the  dim 
day,  which  will  richly  repay  for  the  fatigue  of  the  as- 
cent. One  of  the  views  thence,  that  to  the  jVorth 
Eastward,  takes  in  the  Megantic  Mountains,  on  the 
borders  of  the  State  of  Maine,  probably  sixty  miles 
distant. 

There  is  a  hotel  at  the  base  of  the  mountain,  where 
strangers  can  be  comfortably  accommodated,  and  where 
if  deemed  neces.-ary,  guides  can  be  procured. 

This  lake  is  getting  to  ])e  much  frequented  in  sum- 
mer ;  and  to  acconmiodatc  the  pleasure  and  sporting 
travel,  a  small  steaml)oat  called  the  Mountain  Maid, 
has  been  ])laced  upon  it,  v/hich  runs  up  and  down  the 
Lake,  daily.  GeorgeviUe,  a  pretty  village,  in  the 
township  of  Stansteau,  on  the  Eastern  shore  of  the 
lake,  is  the  fashionable  summer  resort.  From  this 
place  a  steam  ferry  communicates  with  Bolton,  on  the 
opposite  shore,  whence  a  line  of  stages  crosses  the 
country  to  St.  John,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Cliamplain, 
distant  about  sixty  miles,  thus  enabling  the  tourist  if 
he  chooses,  to  avail  himself  of  the  various  facilities 
of  travel,  North  or  South,  at  that  point. 

Lake  Massawippi,  lies  to  the  Eastward  of  Mem- 
phremagog,  and  finds  an  outlet  for  its  waters,  through 
the  Avindings  of  the  Massawippi  stream  into  the  St. 
Francis  River,  at  Lemioxville,  in  Ascot  township.  It 
is  nearly  ten  miles  in  length  by  a  mile  in  width,  and 
in  some  places  its  waters  are  said  to  be  almost  im- 


i<: 


I 


'    ^ 


'I    ; 


i  ^ 


i  i  I   k 


fh 


)'  : 


Mil 


160 


PORTLAM),    WIIITK     Mor\TAl.\'S    AND 


if  rj 


5 


Ifi      I 


fathomable.  Winding  among  romantic  higblnnds  and 
wavy  slopes,  from  which  o])cn  out  green  and  liixu- 
rient  valleys,  it  possesses  a  great  variety  of  charniino- 
scenery. 

Some  of  the  more  intelligent  of  the  Canadians, 
especially  those  of  English  and  Scotch  origin,  justly 
take  ])ride  in  the  beanty  of  these  lakes,  and  often 
compare  them  with  Windermere,  Dcrwentwater. 
Locks  Lomond  and  Katrin,  and  other  sheets  of  water, 
which  the  genius  of  poetry  and  painting  has  -ade 
famous,  in  the  mater  land. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  that  these  waters,  con- 
nected as  most  of  them  are  with  the  distant  St.  Law- 
rei)  30,  abound  with  a  variety  of  delicious  lish,  bass, 
black  and  mottled  trout,  maskanonge  and  })ickerel,  et 
cet ;  but  as  each  species  of  these  fish  has  his  favorite 
haunts,  it  would  ])c  well  for  the  sportsman  to  o1)tain 
the  company  of  some  amateur  Isaak  Walton,  (and  he 
will  find  no  difficulty  in  so  doing,  at  Sherbrook,  Stan- 
stead,  or  any  of  the  towns  or  villages  of  the  region) 
to  accompany  him  in  his  excursions. 

To  reach  Memjihremagog,  the  tourist  can  leave  the 
cars  at  Island  Pond,  from  which  it  is  distant  22  miles, 
or  from  Norton  Pond,  Coaticooke,  Compton,  Lennox- 
villc  or  Sherbrookc,  from  either  of  which  })laccs  he 
will  readily  obtain  conveyance  by  stage,  or  private 
carriage.  Or,  leaving  Island  Pond,  he  can  j)roceed  to 
Sherbrookc,  taking  them  all  in  his  route,  and  there 
again  take  the  cars,  having  traveled  by  stage  some 
sixty  miles. 

But  our  purpose,  more  particularly,  is  to  follow  the 
lire  of  the  Rail  Pvoad.  Resuming  our  scat  therefore 
in  the  cars  at   Island  Pond,  we  pass  up  the  valley  of 


MoNTiii: Ai-  iiAii,   uoAK  (;rii)f;. 


lol 


a  small  but  pictiircsqiio  stream,  wliicli  has  been  dig- 
nified with  the  name  of  Pherino-  Pviv^cr,  to  Norton 
Pond,  ten  miles,  and  circling  the  Eastern  shore  of 
that  wood  embosomed  lakelet,  i)roceed  on  through  the 
heart  of  Norton  township,  and  strike  at  the  South 
West  corner  of  Barford  in  Canada, 

THE    PROVINCE    EINE, 

From  the  AVhitc  Mountains  74  miles,  from  Portland  165  miles,  from  Montreal 

127  miles. 

Tiie  original  forest  still  holds  possession  of  a  large 
portion  of  the  region  through  which  we  have  just 
passed ;  although  off  to  the  Westward,  in  Charleston, 
Morgan  and  Holland  townslu})s,  are  many  good  farms, 
and  settlement  is  steadily  progressing. 

Still  continuing  down  the  valley  of  the  Coaticooke 
River,  through  a  pleasing  alternation  of  farming,  forest 
and  river  scenery,  we  next  arrive  at 

COATICOOKE, 

From  the  White  Mountains  83  miles,  from  Portland  1 74  miles,  from  Montreal 

118  miles. 

This  village  is  in  the  North  Easterly  section  of  the 
townshi})  of  Bnrnston.  It  is  a  center  of  some  im- 
portance, havmg  superior  mill  privileges,  which  are 
im})roved  fw  sawing  lumber,  &c.,  and  the  impulse 
given  to  it  by  the  rail  road,  is  likely  to  increase  it  con- 
siderably. 

Barnston  (in  which  this  village  lies)  is  looked  upon 
as  one  of  the  most  important  of  the  Eastern  Town- 
ships. Its  soil  is  of  fair  quality,  in  many  places  ex- 
cellent, it  is  watered  by  several  small  streams,  in 
addition  to  the  Coaticooke  River,  and  its  farmers 
are  generally  in  easy,  independent  circumstances. 

The  township  of  Barford,  which  adjoins  it  on  the 


'1 ' 

i 

'; 

1 

ii;  r 

\ 

u 

1 

.■•*.-jili»L.«:.;,  Lfwti*,/.- 


152 


Hi     !. 


it 


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roUTLAND,    WiilTl:;    MOUNTAINS    AND 


East,  hns  nlso  many  good  farms,  although  they  are 
generally  away  from  the  rail  road.  Still  there  are 
some  fair  farms  along  the  valley  of  the  Coaticooke, 
and  in  passing  tlirongh  it,  scenes  of  rustic  beauty  and 
thrift  often  meet  the  view. 

The  Coaticooke,  increased  in  volume  by  several 
tributaries,  ilows  on  through  the  central  portion  of  the 
township  of  Com])ton,  having  a  .valley  irregular  in 
width,  of  fertile  alluvium,  a  large  portion  of  which  is 
used  for  the  cultivation  of  hay,  producing  heavy  crops ; 
and  the  broad,  lone  mowing  fields,  waving  and  chang- 
ing in  the  summer  wind,  the  blue  winding  river,  with 
its  stragghng  groves  and  detached  trees,  and  neat 
farm  houses  on  the  s]o})es,  often  cml)owered  in  shrub- 
bery, are  well  calculated  to  produce  that  impression 
of  serene  contentment  and  happiness,  with  which, 
perhaps  not  altogether  without  reason,  we  are  prone 
to  invest  the  life  of  the  agriculturalist. 

The  township  of  Compton  is  also  watered  by  the 
Salmon  River,  which  runs  a  course  nearly  paralled 
with  the  Coaticooke,  some  three  miles  to  the  North 
Eastward.  The  country  between  the  two  rivers  is 
generally  under  an  excellent  state  of  cultivation,  and 
indeed  the  larger  part  of  the  entire  township  has  been 
parcelled  off  into  farms,  which  handsomely  recom- 
pense their  proprietors  for  the  labor  and  expense  of 
cultivation. 

From  these  remarks  may  be  inferred  the  fact  that 
the  region  is  well  settled ;  and  we  have  only  to  add 
that  its  numerous  fine  drives  dcvelope  a  variety  of 
delightful  scenery. 

Through  the  midst  of  this  important  township, 
sweeps  the  Railroad,  still  clinging  to  the  Coaticooke 


MONTUEAL    llAII-    HOAD    GUIDE. 


.'53 


Valley,  and  we  next  find  oiirself  approaching  its  most 
important  village, 

COMPTON    CKNTER, 

From  the  Wiite  Mountains  90  mile?,  from  Portland  181  miles,  from  Montreal 

111  miles. 

The  settlement  which  lies  off  to  the  right  of  the 
rail  track,  dates  its  commencement  many  years  back. 
It  covers  quite  a  large  extent  of  ground,  has  several 
good  shops  and  stores,  not  a  few  prettily  constructed 
houses,  and  withal  a  coihfortable  hotel. 

WATERVIT.I.K, 

From  the  White  Mountains  94  miles,  from  Portland  185  miles,  from  Montreal 

107  miles, 

Near  which  the  rail  road  passes,  not  far  this  side  of 
the  Northerly  limit  of  the  township,  is  a  busier  place, 
though  of  more  recent  origin. 

One  feature  which  cannot  fail  of  attracting  the  no- 
tice of  the  tourist  through  "the  townships"  is  the 
clean,  thrifty  groves  (or  orchards  as  they  are  here  call- 
ed) of  sugar  maples,  which  everywhere  meet  the 
view.  It  is  the  aim  of  every  farmer  to  have  one  on 
his  promises  ;  he  considers  it  fully  as  much  a  source  of 
income  and  convenience  as  his  apple  orchard,  and  the 
whole  region  is  supplied  with  sugar  manufactured 
from  their  sap. 

The  season  of  sugar  making,  which  commences 
about  the  middle  of  March  and  lasts  a  month  or  more, 
is  generally  hailed  with  joy.  In  order  to  obtain  the 
sap,  each  tree  is  bored  into  with  an  augur,  or  tapped 
with  an  axe  or  chissel,  and  the  saccarine  liquid  which 
trickles  slowly  out,  is  caught  into  troughs  or  other 
vessels,  prepared  for  the  purpose.  This  hquid,  which 
has  rather  an  insipid  taste,  is  boiled  down  in  spacious 
14 


151 


I'OIITT.AND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


iron  ketllos;  and  ninny  of  the  (armors  have  small, 
rustic  lookiiii^"  l)uihlini2;s  on  tho  f(l<ic  of  tlioir  i^rovcs 
for  the  ])urj>()sc  of  boiiiiit!;,  whit'li  bnilclinss  in  conncc" 
tion  with  the  symnictricnl  and  thrifly  lives,  a  p;roen 
slope,  and,  })er('hance,  a  L>lance  at  the  shining'  surface 
of  some  ncisj^hboriui]?  lokelot  or  stream,  and  a,  hhio 
curtain  of  distant  monntnins,  often  combines  to  make 
gems  of  picturesque  scenery,  wliich  your  true  artist 
must  admire. 

Some  of  the  iarmers  realize  on  the  average  from  a 
season's  boiling  two  thousand  ])()un(ls  of  sugar  or 
more.  It  is  valued  at  from  five  to  seven  or  eight 
cents  per  pound. 

The  tourist  in  these  jjarts  must  also  be  struck  with 
the  many  excellent  horses,  and  the  superior  neat  stock 
that   almost  every  where  meet  his  gaze. 

Heretofore,  horse  dealers  have  driven  a  good  busi- 
ness by  purchasing  here,  and  selling  in  the  States,  but 
the  farmers  finding  their  stock  begin  to  degenerate 
from  this  cause,  have  gradually  come  to  set  such  pri- 
ces on  their  favorite  animals,  as  no  longer  leaves  a 
remunerating  profit  to  the  drover. 

The  next  station  we  come  to  is 

LENNOXVIT.T.E, 

From  the  White  Mountains  100  uiilos,  from  Portland  191  miles  from  Montreal, 

101  miles. 

Some  two  or  three  miles  before  reaching  this  vil- 
lage,  the  rail  road  leaves  the  valley  of  the  Coaticooke, 
which  it  has  traversed  for  more  than  thirty  miles,  and 
swings  away  more  Easterly  into  that  of  the  romantic 
Massawippi. 

Lennoxville  is  delightfully  situated,  at  the  junction 
of  the  latter  stream  with  the  St.  Francis  river.     It  is 


MO.NTUBAL    HAIL    llUAl)    0111)13. 


155 


a  thriviii*?  iintl  liniulsomo  town,  doriving  not  a  littlo  of 
its  iiujiortiuiro  fntiii  llic  well  endowed  imd  itui)uliir 
institution  culled  r>ishoi>'s  College,  wliich  is  lociitcd 
within  its  limits. 

From  this  plnc'  !i  lino  r)f  st!i,£j;es  nm  to  ihc  settle- 
ments in  the  townships  oC  E'.iton,  Bury  jind  Lingwick, 
to  the  North  Kfistwiird  —  beyond  which  is  a  vast  track 
of  wild(M-ncss  conntry  extending  Eastward  across  the 
lines  of  Maine,  even  to  Moosehead  L;Uve,  where  the 
moose,  the  caribou  aiul  bear  still  inhabit,  probably  in 
greater  nundji'rs  than  in  any  other  region  of  the  North. 

From  Lennoxville,  following  (h)wn  the  St.  Francis 
river  three  miles,  wo  next  arrive  at 

SIIKIlIillOOlvE, 

From  tlio  White  Mountains  lit,']  miles,  from  I'urtlaud  194  milen,  from  Montreal 

ftS  miles. 

This  important  town,  silnatcd  at  the  continence  of 
the  Magog  and  St.  Francis  Rivers,  is  the  capital  of 
the  Eastkrn  Tow.vsnii's.  It  contains  a  po[)nlation 
of  over  .'3000,  and  in  connection  with  Lennoxville, 
(botli  pkices  being  within  the  limits  of  the  township  of 
Ascot)  is  entitled  to  send  a  representative  to  the  Pro- 
vincial Legislature. 

The  rapid  ]\[agog  Pvivcr  mns  throngh  the  center  of 
the  town,  aiTording  a  water  power  of  almost  nnboiind- 
ed  capacity. 

This  is  already  improved  to  consideralde  extent; 
and  now  that  the  rail  road  is  opened,  will,  it  is 
thought,  increase  the  place  into  a  great  and  popnlous 
business  center. 

The  ]3riti.sh  American  Land  Company  have  here 
their  i)rinci})al  oliice.  They  possess  nearly  six  hun- 
dred thousand  acres  of  lands  scattered  through  the 


Is 


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153 


PORTLAND,    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


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Eastern  Townships,  which  is  offered  for  sale  on  hb- 
eral  terms  to  settlers  ;  and  in  nearly  every  township 
have  agents  to  give  all  necessary  information  relative 
to  the  quality  and  condition  of  the  lands,  water  privi- 
leges, &c. 

The  scenery  about  Sherbrooke  is  highly  interestino-. 
The  Magog  river,  now  gliding  in  calmness  under 
overshadowing  rocks  and  trees,  now  plunging  down 
steep  declivities,  in  sheets  of  crystal,  striped  with 
bands  of  snow,  or  elbowed  from  side  to  side  by  ob- 
stinate spurs  of  ledge,  till  the  whole  volume  is  mad- 
dened into  hcnps  of  fierce,  hissing  foam,  is  especially 
worthy  the  notice  of  the  tourist;  then  again  the  broad 
St.  Francis,  flowing  on  with  the  calmer  dignity  that 
characterizes  powder  —  here  reflecting  some  cidlivated 
slope  on  its  bosom,  there  a  clump  of  trees  or  embower- 
ed cottage,  or  more  distant,  forest-crowned  hill,  nevej- 
ceases  to  plea.iC  the  eye  of  the  gazer. 

The  Congregationalists,  Methodists,  Episcopalians 
and  Koman  Catholics,  have  each  a  church  in  Sher- 
brooke ;  the  educational  requirements  of  its  population 
are  provided  for  by  two  excellent  academies,  and  a 
number  of  less  pretending  schools ;  and  its  citizens 
have  the  news  dispensed  to  them,  through  two  weekly 
journals.  There  is  no  lack  of  cnterjirising  men  in 
the  place,  to  attend  to  the  demands  of  business  traffic 
in  every  line  which  the  region  is  ready  to  sustain,  and 
withal,  its  young  men  need  not  exile  themselves  in 
the  wilds  of  Australir?  nr  California,  in  search  of  gold, 
since  their  own  soil,  as  nas  recently  been  discovered, 
vs  impregnated  with  the  yellow  treasure,  to  an  extent 
that  will  remunerate  the  labor  of  digging  —  and  it  is 
hoped  that  further  explorations  in  the  valley  of  the 
St.  Francis,  will  discover  it  in  greater  abundance, 


K  }i 


MONTKKAL   RAIL    llOAU    GUIUK. 


157 


lib- 

IS  hip 

lative 

[)nvi. 


sting-. 

inder 

llown 

I  with 

ob. 


The  Ptail  Road  Station  House  at  this  place,  is  a 
handsome  stractnrc  200  feet  in  length  by  GO  in  width, 
and  near  at  hand  is  a  circular  brick  engine  house,  150 
feet  in  diameter,  aflbrdiug  accommodations  for  20  lo- 
comotives. A  large  machine  shop  and  car  factory  has 
also  beei  erected  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
rail  road. 

From  Slicrl)rookc  the  rail  road  follows  down  the 
valley  of  the  St.  Francis,  to  the  splendid  bridge  which 
spans  the  river,  two  miles  beyond  Richmond  —  in  all 
a  distance  oi.'  twenty  seven  miles,  often  in  close  prox- 
imity to  the  broad  stream,  and  the  ever  changing  and 
romantic  scenery  is  worthy  ot^  the  constant  attention 
of  the  travelri-. 

Four  miles  after  leaving  the  Magog,  the  road  com'^s 
upon  a  series  of  foamiug  n[)s,  known  as  the  "  Big 
JBrompton  Falls,"  which  extend  along  the  channel  of 
the  river  for  more  tJian  a  mile,  walled  in  by  rocky 
shores  and  separated  by  islets  covered  with  trees  and 
verdure,  about  which  the  water  curvets,  and  foams, 
and  dashes,  with  a  romantic  beauty  that  will  linger 
with  the  traveler  long  after  he  has  left  the  locality. 

Along  through  Ibis  section  the  hills  advance  their 
rifted  roots  to  the  very  edge  of  the  river,  and  deep 
rock  cuttings,  or  galleries,  follow  heavy  embankments 
in  rapid  succession.  One  of  the  most  extensive  of 
these  galleries,  jienetrates  transversely,  thiough  an 
immense  bed  of  slate  of  perpendicular  stratitication, 
which  nnist  hnve  opposed  an  obstinate  resistance 
to  the  progress  of  the  Avork.  A  half  a  mile  beyond 
this  point  the  St.  Francis  makes  a  complete  elbow  to 
the  West,  and  the  rail  road  crosses  to  the  Eastern 
side  by  n,  noble  bridge  of  a  single  span,  184  feet  4 
14* 


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inches  in  length —  the  river  below  being  nearly  sixty 
feet  in  depth. 

Continuing  on,  down  th(^  Eastern  shore  of  the  river, 
the  scenery  presenting  a  pleasing  alternation  of  the 
wild  and  rugged,  calm  and  gentle,  we  next  arrive 
at  the  station  in  the  township  of 

WINDSOR, 

From  Portland  208  miles,  from  the  White  Mountains  117  miles,  from  Montreal 

84  miles. 

Near  this  station  the  rail  road  crosses  the  Windsor 
stream,  on  which,  within  a  stone's  throw,  is  a  roman- 
tic waterfall  some  thirty  feet  in  height,  which  has 
been  (as  the  utilitarian  would  say)  improved  by  a 
gentleman  named  Wurtcle,  through  the  erection  of  a 
number  of  saw  and  grist  mills,  which  bid  fiiir  to  be- 
come the  center  of  a  thriving  village.  Otherwise  the 
station  at  Windsor  has  little  to  interest  the  traveler. 

Still  following  the  valley  of  the  St.  Francis,  often 
on  the  edge  of  the  beautiful  stream,  whose  minor-like 
surface  has  a  simile  for  every  object  that  approaches 
its  shores  —  after  the  lapse  of  half  an  hour,  we  find 
ourselves  approaching  the  pleasant  villages  of  Mel- 
bourne and  Richmond,  the  former  on  the  West,  the 
latter  on  the  East  side  of  the  river.  Here  the  scenery 
has  many  points  of  interest,  and  the  perspective  views 
above  and  below  the  villages,  are  of  a  very  pleasing 
character.     The  rail  road  station  is  in 

RICHMOND, 

From  Portland  218  miles,  from  the  White  Mountains  127  miles,  from  Montreal 

71  miles. 

Melbourne  is  a  well  built,  large  and  pleasant  place, 
and  has  a  good  business,  supported  by  the  fertile 
farming   district  back  from  the   river.     Richmond  is 


MONTREAL    KAIL    ROAD    ClMDf:. 


lo9 


inferior  in  extent  to  Melbourne,  but  as  it  is  to  be  the 
terminus  of  the  great  rail  way  from  Quebec,  it  will 
probably  soon  outstrip  in  importance  its  neighbor. 
The  two  villages  arc  connected  by  a  covered  bridge, 
five  hundred  feet  long. 

A  line  of  stages  communicates  from  this  point  with 
Port  St.  Francis  at  the  foot  of  Lake  St.  Peter 

QUKBEC  AND    RICHMOND  RAIL  ROAD. 

This  great  enterprize  is  in  rapid  progress  towards 
completion.  The  longer  bridges  are  to  be  of  iron ; 
the  passenger  stations  are  all  to  be  of  one  and  the  same 
model,  substantial  and  elegant  ;  the  engine  houses 
are  to  possess  all  the  improvements  which  have 
been  made  in  their  construction  in  England  or  on  this 
continent,  and  the  whole  road  when  finished,  v/ill  be 
second  to  no  other  in  America. 

The  stations  now  projected  are  ten,  viz : — 

Danville,  from  Richmond  12  miles,  Harvey's  25 
miles,  Nicolet  31  miles,  Stanfold  42  miles,  Somerset 
48  miles,  Becancour  Bridge  Gl  miles,  St.  Flavien  69 
miles.  Black  River  Settlement  77  miles,  Kelley's  82 
miles,  Chaudiere  Bridge  89  miles,  Hadlow  Cove  96 
miles. 

From  this  latter  point  passengers  will  be  conveyed 
across  the  river  to  Quebec,  by  steamboat. 


To  return  to  the  Montreal  Road  : — 

Two  miles  below  Richmond,  the  road  crosses  the 
St.  Francis  by  u  line  bridge  320  feet  in  length,  and 
here  bidding  adieu  to  the  valley  of  the  majestic  river, 
takes  a  course  almost  due  West,  through  a  dense  for- 


utewf  ■g-iisifc./r  »i  'H  iT^  !^ 


i 


160 


PORTLAND,    WIIlTi:    MOUNTAINS     AND 


ill 


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est,  which  conlinucs  with  scarcely  a  break,  exceptino- 
such  as  the  impulses  of  the  rail  road  have  produced, 
for  more  than  thirty  miles.  Through  this  dark  wilder- 
ness wind  the  Yamaska  and  Black  Rivers,  their  sun- 
If^ss  solitudes  aflording  shelter  to  numerous  wild  ani- 
mals, as  likewise  to  vast  flocks  of  wild  fowl,  which 
breed  in  their  impenetrable  swamps  and  ])ayous,  sel- 
dom disturbed  by  the  presence  of  man.  The  first 
station  ppprooxhed  after  slrikinc'  into  these  woods  is 

DURHAM, 

From  Portland  233  miles,  from  the  White  Mouutaius  142  miles,  from  Montreal 

59  miles. 

There  is  nothing  hereto  attract  the  attention  of  the 
traveler,  unless  like  ourself,  he  can  find  interest  in  the 
beauty  of  the  plumy  ferns  and  attenuated  wild  flow- 
ers which  tremble  to  every  zephyr  that  hunts  its  way 
among  the  winding  labyrinths  of  the  lurest  —  or  in 
contemplating  the  noble  trunks  that  sustain  the  vault- 
ed arches  of  "  living  green"  about  him. 

The  growth  is  various — pine,  hemlock,  fir,  occa- 
sionally interspersed  with  l^irch,  ma}>le,  beech  and 
other  hard  woods,  but  there  is  little  or  no  cessation 
to  the  wide,  dark  forest. 

It  seems  singular  to  find  this  vast  tract  of  wilderness 
intervening  between  the  populous  Eastern  Town- 
ships, and  tiie  older  and  more  important  districts  bor- 
dering on  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  one  is  somewhat  at 
a  loss  to  know  how  l)usiness  was  Iransacted  between 
the  two  sections,  before  the  rail  road  was  constructed. 

The  Townships  must,  to  a  great  degree,  have  ex- 
isted within  themselves,  in  tbrmcr  times.  Indeed,  it 
is  a  matter  of  history  that  as  Irle  as  1S20,  the  site  of 
the  town  of  Sherbrooke,  was  inaccessible  from  Mon- 


MONTUEAL    UAII,     MOAU    GUI'.  C. 


161 


!epting 

)tlucccl, 

wilder- 

ir  sun- 

Itl  fiiii- 

whicli 

IS,  sel- 

le  first 

kIs  is 


treal,  excepting  by  canoes  on  the  St.  Francis  or  by 
a  trail  designated  by  blazing  tlie  tree:j  throiigli  the 
woods.  Nearly  the  whole  region,  however,  to  a[)- 
pearance  is  susceptible  of  a  good  degree  of  cultiva- 
tion, while  its  numerous  streams  can  furnish  hydroulic 
power  to  any  extent  for  manufacturing,  and  it  will 
doubtless  at  no  distant  day  sustain  a  large  population. 

ACTON, 

The  next  Depot— 241  miles  from  Portlanil.  150  from  the  White  Mountains, 

51  miles  from  Montreal, 

Is  located  near  the  banks  of  one  of  the  tributaries  of 
the  Black  River,  called  the  AVhite  Branch.  This 
place  although  in  the  woods,  is  a  center  of  considera- 
ble importance,  and  has  one  or  two  houses  recently 
constructed  to  entertain  travelers  and  excursionists. 

The  thriving  village  of  Metcalfe,  in  the  township  of 
Roxton,  about  five  miles  distant.  Southerly,  is  reached 
by  a  plank  road.  A  road  is  0})cned,  or  is  about  to  be 
opened,  also,  to  Drummondville,  on  the  St.  Francis 
River,  Northward  about  twenty  miles. 

Still  speeding  onward  in  the  shadow  of  the  woods, 
we  next  come  to  the  Station  at 

UI^TOX, 

From  Portland  247  miles,  from  the  White  Mountains  1.5G  miles,  from  Mont- 
real 45  miles 

Here  a  small  village  is  springing  up,  induced  by 
the  exigencies  of  the  rail  road,  or  by  the  facilities  for 
lumbering  which  the  road  affords,  and  some  two  miles 
down  the  Black  River,  (on  which  Ibis  depot  is  locat- 
ed) at  the  Great  Falls,  so  called,  there  are  numerous 
saw  mills,  creating  quite  a  busy  locality. 

Eight  or  nine  miles  from  Upton,  you  emerge  from 


it  ;i 


TtWtfciwa^ 


162 


I'u i;.T L A nmj,   u'lriTn   mdum'-uns   and 


m 


\:  ,.  : 


i  i'. 


I  r 


■I 


the  forest  that  has  walled  you  in  so  long,  and  come 
upon  the  broad  lahle  land  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  which 
extends  to  the  river,  a  distance  at  least  of  thirty-five 
iniles. 

This  immense  jilain  has  a  basis  of  limestone,  and 
hence  it  is  inferred  that  it  was  once  the  bed  of  a  vast 
lake  —  and  the  mountains  that  here  and  there  alirupt- 
ly  l)reak  tln-oiig'h  this  limestone  crust,  are  but  masses 
of  basalt,  which  were  elevated  by  tlie  action  of  the 
interior  fires  of  the  earth,  at  a  j)eri()d  long-  after  the 
sedimentary  rock  formation,  as  is  evident  l)y  the  brok- 
en masses  of  the  latter  being  U])heaved  all  around 
their  edges.  In  many  cases  the  fragments  of  the 
limestone  crust  have  been  turned  comi)letcly  over, 
as  is  plain  by  the  reversed  order  of  stmtification.  Ge- 
ologists conversant  with  the  region,  also  say,  that 
seams  of  the  igneous  (basaltic)  rock  forced  up  through 
the  limestone,  may  be  traced  fro)ii  each  of  tliese  moun- 
tains to  the  otliors.  Have  we  not  here  an  autopsey 
of  the  marvellous  changes  that  have  taken  ])lace  in 
the  surface  of  our  globe,  as  well  as  of  the  vigor  of  the 
great  panting  heart  of  fire  within  I 

This  immense  prairie  is  for  the  most  part  div(  sted 
o^  woods,  and  is  under  a  greater  or  less  degree  of  cul- 
tivation. The  pojudation  is  generally  of  French  ori- 
gin, and  their  scattered  villages  and  hamlets,  and  the 
long  lines  of  rails  that  mark  tlic  divisions  of  their 
farms,  may  be  traced  on  either  hand  till  they  fade  in 
the  horizon.  Their  low,  stone  built  cottages  and  out- 
buildings with  the  never  absent  feature  of  cattle, 
sheep  and  fowl  grouped  about  them,  strikingly  remind 
one  of  the  jiictures  of  Paul  Potter. 

With  scenes  such  as  these  to  interest  us,  so  entirely 


li  u 


tl  come 
,  wliieh 
i-lj'-five 

no,  and 
:i  vast 
lirupt- 

inasses 
of  tlic 

ter  the 
ic  brok- 

arouiid 

of  the 
y  over, 
)n.  Gc- 
^Y,  that 
thron<?;li 

moiin- 
utopscy 
place  m 
r  of  the 


.MONTKI:aI.    KAII.    UOAU    (il'IDE. 


16:? 


diverse  from  those  of  the  region  throujdi  whicli  we 
have  been  passing,  and  so  novel  to  iin  American  tour- 
ist Avithal,  the  next  four  miles  seem  concentrated  into 
one,  and  we  find  ourselves  apitroaching  the  Yamnskai 
River.  This  fine  vStream  is  crossed  by  a  bridge  four 
hundred  feet  in  length,  and  we  enter  the  town  of 

ST.    IIYACIXTHE, 

From  Portland  260  mile?,  from  the  White  Mountains  109  miles,  from  Montrpal 

82  miles. 

This  neat  and  pleasant  town  reminds  one  of  some 
of  the  large  interior  villages  of  France  or  Belgium. 
The  houses  arc  generally  well  built,  often  surrounded 
with  shrubbery,  and  there  are  many  fine  orchards  and 
gardens  in  its  neighborhood.  On  the  right  of  the  rail 
road  as  you  proceed  Westward,  is  the  extensive  piles 
of  buildings  of  the  Catholic  College  —  an  institutions 
which  is  in  high  repute  among  the  French  Canadians, 

There  arc  some  enchanting  drives  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  the  tourist  can  here  find  a  comfortable  liotel, 
and  could  hardly  fail  of  being  gratified  from  spending 
a  day  or  two  in  the  vicinity. 

The  population  of  the  place  is  not  far  from  3000. 

Proceeding  on  by  rail,  the  tedium  of  the  long 
road  being  relieved  by  pretty  views  of  the  French  vil- 
lages of  St.  Rosalie  and  St.  Charles,  on  the  one  hand, 
glimmering  in  the  summer  atmosphere  afar  over  the 
green  level,  and  by  Yainaska  and  Beloeil  mountains, 
and  Monts  Rouges,  on  the  other,  rising  hke  lofty 
volcanic  islands  from  the  ocean  wide  prairie,  we  next 

come  to 

T.ES    SOIXANTE, 

From  Portland  267  miles,  from  the  ^\^nte  Mountains  176  miles,  from  Montreal 

%  miles. 

The  road    from    St.    Hyacinthe   and    indeed  four 


ill      H 


1^        ^: 


l'     i 


161 


roUTl<A.\D,    WIIITK    MOUNTAINS    AND 


I 


f:( 


;!\, 


miles  beyond,  to  this  place,  is  on  a  perfectly  straio-ht 

..le,  and  so  continues,  till  you  approach  St.  Hilaire 

inn''  a  distance  of  nearly  fifteen  miles.  And  there 
are  other  very  long  readies  of  straight  track  on  this 
road,  making  the  most  rapid  transit  feasible,  and  per- 
fectly safe. 

The  level  prairie  still  continues  to  stretch,  sea-like, 
on  every  hand,  studded  with  houses  and  hamlets,  and 
fields  of  various  green  shades,  sinking  gradually  in 
the  empurpled  distance,  and  the  lofty  proportions  of 
Eeloeil  mountain  grow  more  distinct,  until  under  its 
cloud  curtained  summit,  the  cars  haul  up  at 

ST.   HTI.AIRE, 
From  Portland  273  miles,  from  the  White  Mountains  182  miles,  from  Montreal 

19  miles. 

Here  we  have  a  charming  country,  and  a  place  of 
much  resort  in  summer,  by  the  citizens  of  Montreal. 
The  Beloeil  mountain  on  the  left  rises  to  the  height  of 
nearly  fifteen  hundred  feet,  its  shadowy  crags  in  many 
places,  relieved  of  their  gloom  by  the  presence  of  lux- 
uriant and  patulous  woods.  At  its  foot  is  the  pretty 
French  village  of  St.  Hilaire,  rambling  towards  the 
banks  of  the  Richelieu,  whose  majestic  tide  flows 
near  at  hand,  and  on  the  right  is  the  princely  resi- 
dence and  broad,  fertile  acres  of  Major  Campbell, 
proprietor  of  the  seigneury  of  Rouville. 

The  isolated  position  of  Beloeil  mountain  gives  an 
exceedingly  wide  range  to  the  views  from  its  summit. 
In  one  direction  the  eye  takes  in  the  undulating 
swales  of  Montarville,  the  distant  St.  Lawrence  and 
Ottawa,  Montreal  city  nestled  beneath  its  sheltering 
hill,  and  the  wide,  level  country  beyond.  On  the  other, 
the  burnished  waters  of  the  Yamaska,  and  nearer  the 


I 


mo\tiil;al  kau,  koau  tiuiDi;. 


IGo 


Richelieu,  wind  amidst  level  fields,  whose  crops  of 
variously  tinted  green,  give  the  plain  the  appearance 
of  an  immense  plaided  carpet,  while  empurpled  by  the 
distance,  and  darkening  the  land  with  the-  pr  'ence, 
loom  the  titan  forms  of  the  Yamaska,  and  vouge 
mountains,  sustaining  apparently  onthei  s.  mimts  the 
cerulean  dome  of  the  summer  sky.  lucu. '^c  the  view 
in  any  direction  would  well  reward  th'^-  tourist  for  the 
not  very  difficult  task  of  ascending  th    "^i^ht. 

On  the  summit  is  an  antiquated  stone  chapel,  which 
may  be  seen  as  you  pass  along  the  rail  road,  often 
canopied  with  clouds.  A  small  inn  or  restaurat  has 
been  established  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  for  the 
convenience  of  excursionists,  and  in  many  of  the 
neighboring  cottages  nice  lodgings  may  be  obtained  — 
a  mode  of  living  which  cannot  fail  of  being  agreeable 
to  those  who  like  variety. 

The  cars  cross  the  Richelieu  to  the  Beloeil  station 
by  a  bridge  which  has  been  built  at  great  expense, 
twelve  hundred   feet  long,  and  fifty  feet  in  height. 

This  noble  stream  is  as  rich  in  names  as  a  Spanish 
princess.  At  Lake  Champlain,  where  it  takes  its 
rise,  it  is  called  the  Sorel,  farther  down  it  obtains  the 
name  of  St.  John,  here  the  Richelieu,  &c. 

We  are  now  approaching  Montreal,  the  character 
of  the  scenery  being  the  same  as  heretofore  ;  the  next 
station  is 

BOIJCHERVIT^T.E    MOUNTAIN, 

From  Portland  280  miles,  from  the  White  Mountains  189  miles,  from  Montreal 

12  miles. 

This  station  is  at  the  Southern  base  of  a  long  ridge 
called  Montarville  ;  the  tourist  will  find  here  no  lack 
of  scenery  of  an  interesting  character. 
15 


;   ) 

I 


JGG 


roWTLAM),    WHITI-;     MOINTAIX^I    A^D 


Five  miles  beyond  is  Ihc  stution  cciUed  Charons, 
passing  which  the  sea-like  St.  Lawrence  comes  into 
sight,  and  we  are  soon  greeted  with  tlie  usual  appear- 
ances of  a  large  city,  steamboats  and  shipping,  and 
smaller  water  craft  coursing  up  and  down,  carts  and 
drays  jiassing  in  and  out,  and  then  the  city  of  Mon- 
treal piled  up  aljout  its  magnificent  cathedral,  whh  all 
its  tinned  roofs  and  spires  glittering  over  the  wide 
waters  like  burnished  silver,  remind  one  of  descrip- 
tions of  oriental  splendor. 

The  terminus  of  the  road  is  at 

I.Or;GUEIL, 

From  rortland  200  miles,  from  the  \N'liito  Mountains  199  miles,  from  MontreaJ 

2  miles. 

Here  the  company's  steamer  is  ready  to  ferry  the 
traveler  over  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
he  may  tread  the  busy  streets  of 

INIONTRExVL, 

From  Portland  292  miles,  from  tlie  Wliite  Mountains  201  miles. 

This  is  the  most  important  city  of  all  the  British 
possessions  in  America,  and  its  favorable  ])Osition  at 
the  head  of  the  navigable  waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
in  connection  with  the  magnificent  system  of  internal 
improvements,  of  which  it  is  the  center,  warrant  the 
expectation  that  it  is  to  become  an  immense  metrop- 
olis. 

It  is  situated  on  ar  island  having  the  same  name, 
both  deriving  their  appellation  from  the  mountain 
near  its  Eastern  shore,  called  Mount  Real,  or  Royal 
Mountain.  Its  latitude  is  l-^"-'  31'  N.,  longitude  73^ 
34'  W. 

The  island  is  about  thirty  miles  long  by  ten  in  breadth, 


I 


iii?;'* 


::/r /,  .1-1  v?; '::''':, 


ii   I-.  ,. 


"  Ml' 


,i!«i:li!i.yi:i;:''i'! 


f^M 


'i|.'i|!'''i- 


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i  iM-v|VV''w;' '111' '■';'' I 


:mi{im:'it 


$. 


MONTRIJAr,    UAH,    KOAU    c:rii)i:. 


IGi) 


s 


and  is  rcmnrkiiljlo  for  its  Irrlility.  It  is  ilivicU-d  into 
ten  parislics,  tho  cliicl'  of  \iii('li  is  that  of  Montreal, 
wliieli  coniprchcnds,  besides  the  city  proper,  the  Cotes 
de  hi  Visitation,  St.  Joseph,  Notre  Dame  des  Neij^cs, 
and  St.  Pierre,  toi^ethcr  with  portions  of  St.  I'uul  and 
St.  Catherines,  the.  isle  of  St.  Panhiit  the  month  of  the 
River  St.  Pierre,  and  the  Isle  anx  Herons. 

The  city  rambles  along  the  Eastern  shore  of  the  is- 
land, for  al)ont  two  miles,  having  the  mountain  imme- 


Th 


d)out 


diately  in  its  rcai 
nunU)er,  arc  laid  out  nt  rii^lit  !\ni2;les.  Notre  Damo 
street  is  the  fashionable  retail  business  avenue,  and 
the  Western  division  of  St.  Paul  street  and  its  inter- 
secting thoroughfares  is  the  chief  locality  for  heavy 
mercantile  transaction.-!. 

The  muniei[)ality  is  divided  into  nine  wards,  and  its 
government  is  vested  in  a  Mayor,  Board  of  Aldermen, 
and  Board  of  Council,  who  are  elected  by  free  holders 
having  an  annual  rentage  of  at  least  $22  50,  and  by 
houscholdtn's  who  i)ay  a  rent  of  Slo,  or  u[)wards. 

The  city  was  founded  by  M.  de  Maison-neuve  in 
1642,  by  whom  it  was  named  Villc  Marie;  and  it  re- 
tained this  name  for  many  years.  The  present  popu- 
lation is  l)etween  sixty  and  seventy  thousand,  more 
than  one  half  of  whom  arc  of  French  exlraciion. 

Montreal  has  many  fine  buildings.  The  Cathedrp'l, 
or  Church  of  Notre  Dame,  probably  surpasses  in  si/c 
and  magnificence,  every  other  building  of  the  kind  in 
America.  It  is  225  feet  G  inches  in  length,  and  134 
feet  G  inches  in  breadth.  The  two  i)rincipal  towers 
are  220  feet  in  height,  the  others  115  feet.  From 
the  snmmit  of  the  main  towers  the  view  is  grand  be- 
yond conception.  The  great  window  behind  the  high 
altar  is  64  feet  in  height  by  32  in  breadth. 


ii 


170 


PORTLAMJ.    WHITE    MOUNTAINS    AND 


II:' 
IP 


In  one  of  its  main  towers  is  a  bell  weighing  29,400 
pounds,  without  doubt  the  largest  in  the  New  World, 
in  the  other  is  a  superior  chime  of  bells,  whose  music 
often  beguiles  the  labors  of  the  boatmen  of  their  weari- 
ness, on  the  far  winding  river. 

The  interior  view  of  this  mammoth  church  is  highly 
imposing,  although  the  pews  into  which  the  main  floor 
is  broken  up,  are  calculated  to  detract  from  its  gran- 
deur. 

The  architecture  of  the  building  is  the  massive  per- 
pendicular Gothic  style  of  the  middle  ages.  Its  erec- 
tion was  commenced  in  the  summer  of  1824,  and  it 
was  completed,  so  far  as  to  be  dedicated  in  1829,  al- 
though its  two  chief  towers  were  not  finished  till  sev- 
eral years  afterwards.  No  less  than  ten  thousand  per- 
sons were  gathered  within  its  walls  on  liie  occasion 
of  its  dedication. 

The  St.  Andrews  Church  on  Beaver  Hall  Square, 
is  an  elegant  edifice  built  of  stone  in  the  Gothic  style, 
to  which  the  more  sim})le  l)ut  graceful  Grecian  Doric 
of  the  Unitarian  Church  near  by,  offers  a  pleasing 
contrast. 

St.  Patrick's  Church  is  a  large  and  costly  building, 
in  the  same  neighborhood.  Great  St.  James  Street 
Church,  (Methodist)  is  also  a  fine  large  building,  whose 
more  florid  Gothic  architecture  can  but  attract  the  no- 
tice of  the  stranger. 

Christ's  Church,  on  Notre  Dame  Street,  is  a  hand- 
some stone  building,  with  a  doric  front;  and  within  is 
a  noble  organ,  the  gift,  if  we  mistake  not.  of  a  member 
of  the  royal  family  now  deceased. 

There  are  nineteen  other  churches  in  the  city,  most 
of  which  are  noticeable  for  their  architectural  propor- 
tions. 


MOXTREAT,    KAIL    ROAD     GUIDE. 


171 


400 

nsic 
ari- 

hly 

oor 

ran- 


The  new  Court  House  on  Notre  Dane  Street,  now 
progressing  towards  completion,  is  patterned  from  the 
celebrated  Temple  of  lUysus,  one  of  the  finest  speci- 
mens of  the  Grecian  Ionic  style.  It  is  300  feet  lono-. 
140  wide,  and  70  hi2;h. 

The  Bonsccours  Market,  fronting  on  the  river,  is  a 
massive  and  imposing  pile  of  wrought  stone,  in  the 
Grecian  Doric  style,  erected  at  a  cost  of  $300,000. 

The  Bank  of  Montreal  is  a  noble  building  of  cut 
stone  in  the  Coiinthinn  style,  fronting  on  the  Place  d' 
Amies.  The  Bank  of  British  North  America,  the 
City,  and  the  Commercial  Banks,  and  the  Banque  du 
Peuple  are  also  fine  edifices,  built  of  stone. 

There  are  numerous  other  buildings  about  the  city 
of  a  public  or  private  character,  deserving  the  especial 
notice  of  the  tourist — and  indeed  it  is  not  extravagant 
to  say  that  few  cities  in  America  show  such  a  propor- 
tion of  fine  buildings  as  tlic  City  of  the  Ptoyal  Moun- 
tain. 

The  hotels  are  numerous,  and  some  of  them  de- 
servedly popular.  The  most  fashionable  are  Donega- 
na's  on  Notre  Dame  Street,  the  Hay's  House  on  Dal- 
housie  Square,  the  St.  Lawrence  Hall,  and  the  Ottawa 
Plouse,  Great  St.  James  Street,  the  Canada  Hotel, 
St.  Gabriel  Street,  and  the  Montreal  House,  Custom 
House   Square. 

The  Exchange  Coffee  House,  the  Adelphi,  the  Ea- 
gle House,  (Temperance)  and  (^rants,  are  commodious 
and  comfortable  hotels,  and  there  are  several  others 
that  stand  well  with  the  traveling  public. 

A  prominent  feature  of  the  city  is  in  the  Nunneries, 
of  which  there  are  three.     These  are — 

The   Hotel   Dieu,  on   St.   Paul    Street,  founded  in 


. 


n 


i 


172 


PORTLAND.    WIIITK     MOI'XTA  INS    AND 


1644,  for  the  reception  of  sick  and  diseased  persons, 
an  institution  whose  name,  at  least,  is  lamiliar  to  many 
from  the  denunciations  made  against  it  by  tlie  notori- 
ous Maria  Monk. 

The  2d  is  tlic  Black  or  Congregational  Nunnery,  on 
Notre  Dame  Street,  founded  in  1G59  for  the  education 
of  young  females. 

The  3d  is  the  Grey  Nunnery,  on  Foundhng  Street, 
founded  in  1692,  for  the  care  of  lunatics  and  found- 
lings. 

These  institutions  are  instrumental  of  doing  a  great 
amount  of  good. 

The  wharves  and  al)u1ments  on  the  river,  built  of 
heavy  blocks  of  stone,  and  in  the  most  thorough  man- 
ner, cannot  fail  to  attract  the  admiration  of  the  Anier- 
icci-n  tourist  for  their  symmetry  and  regularity,  as  well 
as  for  their  permanence. 

The  Locks  and  Basius  of  the  Lachine  Canal,  at  the 
Southern  limit  of  the  city,  may  well  l)e  the  boast  of 
the  citizens,  on  account  of  their  extent  and  solidity, 
rivalling  every  thing  of  the  kind  in  America. 

The  Champ  do  Mars,  the  parade  ground  of  the  gov- 
ernment troops,  is  also  a  favorite  resort,  especially  in 
summer,  when  the  military  bands  of  the  regiments  in 
garrison,  go  thither  to  play. 

The  scenery  of  Montreal  has  often  been  noticed  by 
travelers  for  its  surpassing  beauty  and  extent. 

The  magnificent  St.  Lawrence  rolling  along  in  front 
of  the  city,  its  far  wave  sprinkled  with  snowy  sails, 
and  nearer  at  hand  sustaining  the  mercantile  squad- 
rons that  have  come  up  from  the  ends  of  the  earth, 
has  more  the  appearance  of  a  sea  tlian  a  river.  And, 
indeed,  what  is  the  broad  stream  and  its  connecting 


'4: 


MONTUKAL    KAIL    ROAD    iM'tDE. 


173 


chain  of  mighty  lalces  swee})iiig  across  and  nearly  sev- 
ering the  continent,  bnt  one  great  fresh  water  ocean, 
with  an  area  rivaUing  that  of  its  sahne  cousin  the  At- 
lantic, to  which  it  ])ays  tril)ute  1 

Opposite  the  city,  and  on  every  hand,  sweeps  the 
great  plain  of  Canada,  luxuriant  wit^i  verdure,  and  va- 
riegated with  shining  waters,  and  towns,  and  villages ; 
and  here  and  there  end)racing  some  isolated  moun- 
tain, whose  dark  crags  seem  favorite  resorts  of  the 
thunder  clouds  —  the  violet  walls  of  the  horizon  being 
the  ouly  a])parent  bounds  to  the  view. 

But  the  reader  must  look  upon  these  scenes  himself, 
to  get  a  correct  idea  of  their  vastitude  and  beauty; 
and  in  order  to  do  this  to  the  best  advantage,  he  should 
take  a  drive  around  the  mountain  (or  rather  moun- 
tains, for  what  is  called  Mont  Real,  consists  of  two 
distinct  hills,)  which  l)esides  bringing  him  in  juxtapo- 
sition with  the  ]iicturesque  villas  and  summer  residen- 
ces of  some  of  the  wealthy  Montrealese,  will  open  to 
him  a  clear  horizon  on  every  hand. 

This  is  one  of  the  favorite  drives  of  the  citi:  3ns. 
Anotlier  charming  drive,  although  of  greater  length,  is 
to  Longne  Point,  and  may  be  continued  through  a 
pleasant  district  to  Point  aux  Trembles.  Still  another 
is  to  So.ult  au  Recollect.  On  the  other  hand  —  nine 
miles  distant  by  Railroad  —  the  rapids  of  Lachine  (so 
named  because  some  of  the  early  explorers  of  the 
country  conjectured  that  by  surmounting  them,  a  facile 
route  to  China  would  be  dscovcred  up  river,)  attract 
many  visitors.  Beyond  this  })oint,  and  at  the  extreme 
Westerly  part  of  the  Island  is  St.  Ann,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Ottawa,  a  place  immortalized  in  Moore's  beau- 
tiful Canadian  Boat  Song, 


i    ■•  ; 


'•  '\^-'  .A 


174  I'OUTLA.M),     WmXR     MOCNTAIXS    A  \  IJ 

"  Soon  as  the  woods  on  shore  look  dim, 
We'll  sing  at  St.  Axn  our  parting  hymn." 

Thus  we  liavc  pointed  out  wlrat  have  ajipcared  to 
us  to  be  the  features  of  Montreal  autl  vieiniiy,  most 
interestinaf  to  stranirei-s. 

Most  persons  who  visit  Montreal,  make  it  a  point 
also  to  take  Quebec  in  their  tour.  There  are  Iwo 
lines  of  steamers  running  daily  bctw<.MMi  these  places; 
the  fare  is  moderate,  that  of  the  Hoy!' I  Mail  Bonts  be- 
ing 12s.  Gd.  or  S2,50  cents  —  by  tlie  other  hne  10s.  or 
$2,  sometimes  less. 

Sorel,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Richelieu,  a  place  of 
3000  inhabitants,  4o  miles  down  the  river,  is  the  fust 
landing  jilacc. 

Below  Sore]  ihe  river  expands  into  n  lake  called  St. 
Peters,  nin<'  f.:iii  >  wide,  at  the  Eastern  extremity  of 
which  is  th''  ;i:"t  stopping  place.  Port  St  Francis,  82 
miles  below  Montreal. 

The  next  is  Three  Rivers,  one  of  the  oldest  towns 
in  Canada,  dating  its  first  occupancy  as  far  back  as 
1613.  This  place  is  just  half  way  between  ]\lontrcal 
and  Quebec,  the  distance  hence  to  either  p/lace  being 
90  miles.  The  Falls  of  Shawanagenne,  on  the  St. 
Maurice  River,  about  2o  miles  back  of  this  place,  are 
unsurpassed  for  romantic  beauty.  The  water  descends 
over  a  perpendicular  precipice  at  least  200  feet. 

Batiscan,  117  miles  below  Montreal,  is  the  last  land- 
ing place  of  the  steamers  before  they  arrive  at  Quebec. 

QIIKBKC, 

The  second  city  of  the  English  })Ossessions  in  Amer- 
ica, contains  a  population  of  about  4-5,000  souls.  This 
city  was  founded  by  a  Frenchman  named   Charlevox 


i 


9^ 


^1 


'fe?i 


MO.NTRICAI.    llAiL    UOAU    (.;L"I1>E. 


176 


ml  60S.     Its  latitude  is  4  6^  49 'K,  longitude  71°  15 'W- 

Tiic  portion  of  the  ])lace  situated  on  the  heights  is 
called  the  Upper  Town,  that  along  the  river  hank,  the 
Lower.  The  city  is  divided  into  six  wards,  and  its 
municipal  govennnent  is  vested  in  a  Mayor  and  nine- 
teen Couns 'filers. 

Quehec  lias  heen  on  several  occasions  the  scene  of 
desperate  hattlc;  and  in  that  which  resulted  in  its 
capture  Vy  the  British  army  in  1759,  the  gallant  Gen, 
Wolfe,  and  the  French  General  Montcalm,  were  both 
slain.  An  elegant  monument  sixty  feet  high,  erected 
to  tiieir  memory  in  1827,  occupies  a  conspicuous  place 
in  the  promenade  of  the  city  called  the  public  garden. 
Here  the  bands  of  the  regiments  in  garrison,  are  wont 
to  play  on  summer  evenings. 

The  ramparts,  another  much  frequented  promenail?, 
command  extensive  views  of  the  surrounding  scene;.y. 

Durham  Terrace,  a  platform  erected  on  the  site  of 
the  old  castle  of  St.  Louis,  is  also  'uuch  resorted  to 
for  its  fine  views  of  the  harbor,  rivt  and  lower  town, 
and  every  stranger  should  by  all  means  here  take  a 
promenade. 

The  citadel  of  Cape  Diamond,  is  said  to  be  one  of 
the  strongest  fortresses  in  the  world.  The  area  em- 
braced within  its  fortitications  is  over  lorty  acres  in 
extent.  Strangers  can  readily  obtain  admittance  here 
by  applying  to  the  Town  Major. 

The  principal  hotels  are  the  Albion,  on  Palace  St., 
and  Swords  Hotel,  corner  Halde  land  and  St.  Louis 
Streets,  Tjiper  Town.  The  City  Hotel,  Upper  Town, 
and  the  Ottawa,  St.  Lawrence  and  Scott's  Hotels, 
Lower  Town,  arc  also  excellent  houses. 

There  arc  many  places  and  objects  of  interest  to 
the  tourist  in  and  about  the  city. 


h. 


r 


17G 


roi'.TLAN'i),  wiirn;   mui.'.n tains  and 


■yrr 


The  Plains  of  Abraham  where  the  last  great  battle 
was  fought  between  the  French  and  English,  r  ^^^in 
the  city  on  the  "West  —  a  monument  indicates  the  spot 
where  Wolfe  fell. 

A  painted  board,  on  the  road  from  Champlain  Street 
to  Diamond  harbor,  jjoints  out  Ihe  spot  where  the 
American  General  Mo)itgomery  was  slain,  during  the 
investment  of  the  city  by  the  Americans  in  the  winter 
of  1775-G. 

The  Falls  of  Montmorenci,  eight  miles  below 
Quebec,  have  •  world  wide  reputation,  for  their  ro- 
mantic beauty.  The  stream  here  GO  feet  wide,  de- 
scends in  one  leap  from  a  blufl'  250  feet  in  height,  into 
the  St.  Lawrence. 

Tlie  Chaudiere  Falls  nine  miles  above  the  city,  are 
also  much  visited  on  account  of  their  romantic  attrac- 
tions. They  are  on  the  river  of  the  same  name,  at  a 
j)oint  where  it  is  about  400  feet  wide,  and  are  130  feet 
in  height.  The  Quebec  and  Richmond  Railway  pas- 
ses but  a  few  rods  above  them. 

Lake  Beauport,  fourteen  miles  North  Easterly  of 
the  city,  rdjounds  with  excellent  trout,  and  is  a  favorite 
resort  of  piscatory  sportsmen,  as  well  as  of  the  lovers 
of  beautiful  scenery. 

Lake  St.  Charles,  twelve  miles  North  of  the  city, 
the  source  of  the  river  St.  Charles,  which  entering  the 
St.  Lawrence  at  Quebec,  forms  a  part  of  its  harbor, 
is  also  a  favorite  resort  of  tourists  and  anglers. 

At  Lake  St.  Joseph,  twenty-eight  miles  North  Wes- 
terly of  Quebec,  the  finest  of  trout  and  black  bass  are 
taken  in  large  quantities. 

The  river  Sagucnay,  whose  wild  and  sublime  scenery 
has  scarcely  a  parallel  in  the  world,  falls  into  the  St. 


^ 


I 


;M(.).NT1:EAI.    KAll.     UOAl)     (iLlDi:. 


177 


w 


Lawrence  140  miles  below  Quebec.  Tlie  fare  for  a 
steamboat  excursion  thither  and  back  is  about  $12, 
the  time  occupied  in  making  it  from  three  to  four  days. 

UPPER    CANADA-NT ACtARA. 

The  great  round  of  summer  travel,  hereafter,  doubt- 
less will  be  from  New  York  and  the  Atlantic  cities 
South,  to  Portland,  thence  by  the  Railroad  to  the  White 
Mountains  and  Montreal,  nnd  thence  by  steamer  up 
the  St.  Lawrcjnco,  or  by  land  carriage,  to  Niagara. 

The  majestic  scenery  of  the  St.  Lawrence  has  been 
the  admiration  of  "i^avelers  from  the  time  of  its  dis- 
covery to  the  jiresent,  and  every  tourist  who  seeks  to 
be  conversant  with  tlie  more  wonderful  features  of 
America,  will  of  course  mako  it  an  object  to  pass  up 
or  down  this  noble  stream. 

The  trip  to  Quebec  we  have  already  performed;  we 
now  propose  to  take  an  excursion  to  Kingston,  at  the 
head  of  the  river,  and  thence  over  Lake  Ontario  to 
Niagnra.  The  whole  distance  from  Montreal  to  Ni- 
agara is  110  miles;  the  steainboat  fare  during  the  last 
year  was  88  50  cents. 

Taking  the  cars  on  the  Lachine  Railroad,  we  pro- 
ceed to  the  villngc  of  Lachine  nine  miles,  where  we 
embark  on  board  a  steamer  which  is  fired  up  and  wait- 
ing. The  steamer  crosses  the  reach  of  the  river  call- 
ed Lake  St.  Louis,  and  enters  the  Beauharnois  canal, 
which,  in  the  distance  of  eleven  miles,  overcomes  a 
rise  of  eighty  tAvo  feet.  This  is  a  uolde  work,  and 
while  i)assiug  throug];  its  nine  locks,  the  excursionist 
will  have  enough  to  occupy  his  attention. 

Leaving  the  cnual  the  steamer  touches  at  Coteau 
Landing,   15   miles  from   Montreal,   thence  the   river 
ir, 


i 


k 


178 


I'ctKTLANI),     WlIlTt:     AlO  C.NTA  1  NS    AMj 


again  spreads  out  into  a  wide  basin  called  Lake  tSt. 
Francis,  which  is  thirty  seven  miles  in  length. 

Proceeding  up  this  broad  sheet  of  water,  we  next 
arrive  at  Cornwall,  wliere  the  foaming  and  fierce  rapids 
in  the  river  make  another  canal  trip  necessary,  and 
here  we  enter  the  Cornwall  Canal,  which  is  eleven 
and  a  half  miles  long,  and  overcomes  an  ascent  of 
forty  eight  feet  with  seven  locks.    ' 

At  the  head  of  the  Cornwall  Canal  is  Dickinson's 
Landing,  91  miles  above  Montreal. 

Again  we  encounter  rapids  in  the  river,  which  can 
be  descended  without  difficulty,  by  the  steamer,  but 
not  ascended,  and  proceeding  up  we  must  take  in  our 
route  the  short  canals  called  Ferin's  Point,  Rapid  Plat, 
Point  Iroquois,  and  Galops,  in  succession,  the  four 
helping  you  along  on  your  journey  a  distance  often 
miles,  and  overcoming  a  rise  of  30  feet.  The  locks 
on  these,  as  well  as  on  the  Beauharnois  and  Cornwall 
Canals,  are  all  200  feet  long,  15  wide,  and  1)  feet  deep. 

We  have  now  smoother  work  of  it,  and  proceed  on 
to  Prescott,  distant  from  Montreal  i:]o  miles,  tlie  im- 
portant town  of  Ogdensburg,  the  termination  of  the 
great  lines  of  Railroad  to  Boston  and  New  York,  being 
on  the  opposite  shore,  within  the  territory  of  the  Em- 
pire State. 

A  rail  road  to  connect  Prescott  with  Bytovvn,  the 
principal  place  on  the  river  Ottawa,  is  ))rogressing  to- 
wards completion,  its  length  is  53  miles. 

Brockvillc,  the  next  point  at  which  the  steamer 
touches,  is  12  miles  above  Prescott.  It  is  a  place  of 
about  4000  inhabitants. 

Some  eight  or  ten  miles  above  this  point,  the  steam- 
er enters  among  the  Tnous.4ND  Islands,  whose  wild, 


MoXriniAI,     UAIL     lUJAD     C.l'lUK, 


179 


diversified  and  picturesque  beauties,  rendered  the  more 
interesting  by  the  Indian  traditions  connected  with 
them,  have  often  called  forth  the  finest  nuud)ers  of  the 
versifier,  and  tlic  n\ostglo.v'"g  descriptions  of  the  tour- 
ist. 

Kingston,  at  tlie  head  of  the  river,  108  miles  from 
Montreal,  is  a  busy  place,  formerly  the  seat  of  Govern- 
ment, containing  h.  population  of  nl)out  15,000,  and 
ranking  as  the  sixth  commercial  city  in  Canada.  Its 
chief  hotels  are  the  St.  Lawrence,  ])ritish  American 
City,  and  Princess. 

Travelers  from  Montreal  to  this  place,  who  wish  to 
visit  the  splendid  scenery  of  the  Ottawa  River  in  their 
way,  can  do  so,  by  taking  the  steamer  at  Lachine 
thence  proceeding  to  Carillon,  a  distance  of  50  miles. 
Here  tliey  take  the  stage  to  Granville,  distant  12  miles, 
where  they  again  embark  on  the  river,  and  proceed  by 
steam  to  Bytown,  a  distance  of  GO  miles — making  the 
whole  distance  from  INIontreal  123  miles. 

Bytown  communicates,  by  that  magnificent  struc- 
ture, the  E-idcau  caual,.  with  Kingston,  the  distance 
being  12G  miles,  and  a  steamer  runs  over  the  canal 
three  times  a  week  for  the  accommodation  of  passen- 
gers. The  cost  of  this  work  w;is  but  little  short  of  five 
millions  of  dollars ! 

The  first  landing  place  on  Lake  Ontario,  after  leav- 
ing Kingston,  is  Coburg,  distant  29.3  miles  from  Mon- 
treal. 

Port  Hope,  the  next  j^lace  at  which  the  steamer 
calls,  is  300  miles  above  Montreal. 

Toronto,  363  miles  from  Montreal,  next  receives  the 
steamer,  into  its  fine  harbor.  This  is  a  city  of  about 
35,000   inhabitants  —  the  third  in  point  of  population 


I 


'  r- 


180 


POUTLivNl),     Wlini:;    Mul  NTAINS    A  N  U 


in  the  Cauadas,  and  standinii;  ncxl  lo  Montreal  in  the 
amount  of  its  imports.  Its  principal  liotuls  are  Bread's, 
Wellington,  Western,  North  American,  Masonic  Arms, 
and  City  Arms. 

The  steamer  at  length  arrives  at  Queenston — Lew- 
iston  being  opposite,  on  the  American  shore.  From 
these  plac(>s  the  falls  are  seven  miles  distant,  and  the 
tourist  will  have  his  choice  of  several  modes  of  ffoinjr 
up. 

We  will  not  essay  to  describe  Niagara  —  it  is 
enough  to  say  that  it  is  the  outlet  of  all  the  Great 
Lakes,  Ontario  excepted,  and  their  inflowing  streams, 
draining  a  region  larger  than  all'' K^ope !  and  the 
mighty  fall  of  such  a  flood  over  a  })recipice  150  feet 
in  height,  must  be  seen  to  be  appreciated.  The  follow- 
ing quotation  may,  however,  serve  to  give  some  im- 
press of  the  scene : 

"  How  jirofoiind 
The  fifulf !  and  Iiow  tlie  giant  element, 

From  rock  to  rock  leaps  with  deliriom  1)0iiih1, 
Crusliing  tlic  cliffs,  which  downwards  worn  and  rent 
With  its  fierce  footsteps,  yields  in  cha.-nis  a  vent 

To  the  broad  column  whicli  rolls  on  and  shows 

More  lilxc  the  fountain    -vf  an  infant  sea, 
Torn  from  tiie  woinh  of  mountains  bv  the  tin-ocs 

Of  a  new  world    *        *        *     look  back  ! 
Lo.  where  it  comes  like  an  eternity, 
As  if  to  sweep  down  all  things  in  its  track ! 

Terribly  beautiful !     And  on  the  verge, 

From  side  to  side  beneath  the  glittering  morn, 
An  iris  sits  amidst  the  infernal  surge  ; 

Like  I. ope  ujjou  a  death  bead  —  and  uaworn 

Its  steady  eyes,  while  all  around  is  torn 
By  the  distracted  waters,  bears  serene 

Its  brilliant  hues  witli  all  their  beams  unshorn ; 
Resembling  'midst  the  torture  of  tlie  scene, 
Love  watching  Madness  with  unalterable  mein." 


F  I  M  3  . 


